Unexpected Visitor
by Rosesareforever
Summary: Elena's living a stressful life in the city when she finds out she inherited a house in Virginia. She's in for a surprise when she finds two brothers living in her house. And they are not planning on leaving soon. Full summary inside.
1. Prologue

**AN: My new story! I know, I know, I actually should finish the other one first, but I was just too excited to wait any longer :D If you have any questions, please do ask.**

**Summary: Elena's living a stressful life in the city when she finds out she inherited a house in a small town in Virginia, she decides to take a long holiday to explore her new property. She's in for a surprise when she gets there and finds two brothers living in her house. And they are not planning on leaving soon.**

**Damon's 27, Stefan 25, Caroline 25, Elena 25 and Bonnie 25.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own The Vampire Diaries, however I consider the plot line as mine.**

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**Prologue **

Damn, she was running late, again! Of course she had to be late when she had such an important meeting with her notary. She didn't have a clue why Mr. Howard had called her, but it sounded rather urgent.

It was Friday today and she just came home from work. It had been another stressful day and her entire body felt tired. She knew it was time for her to take a break, but somehow, work just helped to keep her focused, to keep her mind away from… well almost everything.

Her life in San Francisco wasn't perfect, far from it even, but it kept her going. Ever since her mother passed away after years of battling lung cancer, she kept herself busy doing charity work, studying, working… None of these activities took the pain away, they just made it a little bit easier to get through the day, to make things more bearable. She had little memories left of her father, who died in a car accident when she was only three, along with her one year old brother. Her mother had been devastated, but she kept fighting for Elena, to make sure she'd become a happy and strong woman.

Fortunately Elena still had Bonnie, her best and only friend. They've been friends since kindergarten and their parents knew each other very well. Bonnie had always been there for her and she'd even lived with her and her parents after the horrible disease took her mother away from her. She was very grateful that the Bennett's wanted to help her, though the day she turned eighteen she looked for an apartment so she won't have to depend on them anymore. She didn't want to be a burden to anyone. I didn't feel right to rely on them, not even if they wanted to help her.

Bonnie had been furious to say the least. She hadn't wanted Elena to leave, so she decided to come living with her and split the rent. Everyone had thought they were crazy, absolutely insane, sharing an apartment while they were only eighteen, but everything worked out pretty well.

Now here she was, sitting in a taxi, hoping she'd be on time to her meeting. The traffic was crowded and it surely would take another few minutes before she arrived at Mr. Howard's office. She decided to send Bonnie a text that she would be late for dinner. They usually held a girls night on Friday, it was something they did since high school. The only few times Elena missed their night was because she had to go on a date. She didn't have time for a real relationship, or that's what she told herself, but she did go on a date from time to time.

Bonnie always insisted it was good for her social life, though Elena didn't think it helped her in any way. She never met a guy that was interesting enough to go on a second date with, they were all nice and sweet, but that was it. No sparks flying across the room or butterflies dancing in her belly.

Ten minutes late, Elena arrived at Mr. Howard's office. She thanked the driver and gave him a tip, before walking towards the entrance. When she arrived the secretary was already impatiently waiting, clicking her ball pen from time to time and making that _annoying_ sound. "Good evening, Ms. Gilbert, we've been waiting for you to appear," the blond woman stated, giving her a judging look for being late.

She fake smiled at the woman, not paying attention to her attitude. She didn't let them get to her, a strong façade made sure that no one but Bonnie knew the real Elena Gilbert, a lonely, innocent girl that had no family left. She took a deep breath, trying to ban the depressed thoughts from her mind. She rarely gave herself the chance to think about the fact that she lost her family at such an early age. The only time she ever allowed herself to cry was at their funeral.

"Mr. Howard is ready to see you," the secretary told her, bringing her back from her thoughts. She nodded at the woman politely, before walking towards the end of the hallway where the notary was waiting for her.

She softly knocked on the door and waited for the man to let her in, Mr. Howard was an old man with gray hair; he'd been great friend of her father. He had tried to help her out after her mom had passed away and she'd always been thankful that he had been there for her. She wouldn't have known what to do without his help.

"Ah Elena, I'm glad to see you again. How are you, darling? Still working at the newspaper?" he asked smiling when she opened the door. He was sitting on the other side of his desk, looking through a file that she expected had something to do with her.

"Hi Mr. Howard," she answered politely. He'd told her to just call him James, but she'd become used to calling him mister. Her father never wanted her to call someone by their first name if they were older than you. She never really understood why he paid so much attention to it, but she'd just taken over the habit. "I've been good. Yes, still working at the newspaper. I'm actually enjoying my job there."

"That's nice to hear," he spoke, putting aside the file so he could look at her. "Sit down, honey. You don't have to keep standing," he told her, waving at the seat in front of him.

She nodded her head smiling and did as he said, waiting for him to continue. She still had no idea as for why she had to pay him a visit, but she was getting anxious. She had the feeling something bad had happened. What other reason could there be for her to stop by?

"You're probably confused as for why you had to come here? It has something to do with your uncle John, your father's brother," the man told her, opening the file he'd put aside just seconds ago. He searched for the right letter before taking it out the file and putting it down in front of her so she could read the paper.

"Uncle John?" Elena asked surprised. "I have an uncle?" How was that even possible? Her father always told her he had no brothers or sisters. He was supposed to be an only child. She searched her memory to find any clues, but came out blank. Her mother had never told her anything about an uncle either. She'd always thought her father didn't have any family members left.

"You _had_ an uncle," James told her, "He passed away three months ago, though they couldn't find his family members at first, that's why it took them so long before you finally got informed about his inheritance. I only got a phone call the day before."

"I had an uncle and he left me something?" she said shocked. This was all new to her. She never even heard the name John. Why would her mother keep something like that a secret from her? Or was her father the one to blame? She had no idea what the hell was going on and she didn't like it one bit. How embarrassing, she didn't even know her entire family.

"Well, he didn't exactly leave you something since he probably didn't even know about your existence, but he doesn't have any other family members left. You are the only one, which makes you inherit all his personal stuff, including a boarding house in Virginia and half a million dollar," the notary told her smiling.

"What?" Half million dollars and a house? Was her notary going insane? She couldn't just accept half a million and a house from a – to her – complete stranger. It didn't matter that he was family, she didn't know the man!

"I know it's probably a lot to take in, sweetie. Although I think you can use the money. It's not like your mother didn't leave you a nice amount of money, but together with all of this, you're going to have it a lot easier the next couple years," the man explained. He knew this must be hard for Elena.

"I can't just take so much money and a house from a stranger, Mr. Howard. I'm sure my uncle would've wanted to give it to someone else," she said eventually, letting out a deep breath.

"You should think about it, Elena. It's a huge opportunity to just let go by. But don't worry, you don't have to sign the file immediately, take your time to consider whether you want to accept this or not," Mr. Howard answered carefully. If Elena was a smart girl, she'd just accept the inheritance, she was still young and she could use the money.

"Good. I'll think about it," she told the man before standing up from her seat, "I'll call you tomorrow." After giving him one last glance, she left the room and immediately ran downstairs, not even looking at the secretary. She just had to get out of there; it was getting too much for her to bear.

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><p>After walking around in the city to think things through, she went home, taking deep breaths to calm herself down. Before she went up to her apartment she first checked her mail, hoping to find a letter from her friend out of high school, Matt.<p>

A disappointed look washed over her face when she found it empty. The last time she'd seen him they had a huge argument about how she was ruining her life by being such a workaholic. It was the day before he moved out the city with his girlfriend, she'd been sending him letters none stop over the past month, but he wouldn't reply to them. Which made her feel even worse, she never expected Matt to be so serious about their argument.

She knew that part of him was right, she had indeed spent the last few years doing nothing but work, though there was a solid reason why she did so. There was just no one that seemed to understand how it felt like to have no parents left. She couldn't really remember her brother and father, which helped, but that didn't mean she didn't miss them just as much as her mother.

When she stepped out of the elevator, she was overwhelmed by the smell of freshly made food. Damn, Bonnie was making something good. Walking inside she smiled at her friend who was just taking the lasagna out of the oven. "You're just in time," the girl said, waving at her friend before putting the bowl down on the table.

"I didn't know you were cooking tonight," Elena answered her, hanging her coat on the peg while she tried to get her shoes of, which of course didn't work cause she was trying to do two things at the time. She let out a curse before turning towards the dining table where Bonnie sat smiling.

"Had a bad day?" she questioned.

"Something like that," Elena told her, letting out a deep sigh. She really _did_ need some rest.

The last months had been exhausting; she couldn't even find the time to do her job properly. Her Boss, Marc had even suggested a break – while he usually never aloud anyone to take a day off – which meant a lot. He was a good boss, he tried to help her out the best he could the past years. He truly wanted to help her to become a successful journalist.

"The notary?" Bonnie said carefully. "What did he say? Was it bad?" she asked concerned. She knew Elena had been through a lot over the past years. When her mother passed away, Elena had been a wreck…literally. She didn't say anything, didn't eat, she just stayed in her bedroom, watching horror movies. At the time, Bonnie really didn't know what to do or how to help her friend. She still had both her parents and she thought that Elena would want to talk to someone who really knew what she was going through. She had tried her best to help out her friend, but Elena wouldn't listen, she didn't want to talk about it or cry over it, she just wanted to end her studies and find a job. Well, that was exactly what happened.

"Depends on how you think about it... I had an uncle I didn't know, he passed away three months ago and left me a huge inheritance," Elena answered emotionless, taking a bite off her plate. "This is really good, you know," she complimented her friend. The pasta tasted divine.

"Thanks," her friend answered shortly. "But what do you mean, he left you 'a huge inheritance'?" she went on.

"A mansion in Virginia and a half million dollars," the brunette answered like it was the most normal thing in the world. She wasn't really listening to Bonnie, still trying to proceed what happened today. She had an uncle…and now he was gone while she hadn't even met him.

"What?" Bonnie choked, almost spitting out her food. She looked at her friend with wide open eyes, waiting for her to explain things further.

"Yeah, I was the only family member he had left, so now I get his inheritance. All I have to do is sign a paper and everything belongs to me," she explained, watching her friend's reaction.

"Oh my god, you'll own a house in Virginia!" Bonnie exclaimed smiling. "That's huge, Elena, awesome even!"

"I haven't signed the papers, you know," she replied coolly, clearly not getting why her friend sounded so happy. What did it matter that she got an inheritance when she never got a chance to meet the only family member she had left? Now the man was gone and she felt like she lost everything all over again.

"You should," her friend told her, "I know you probably wanted to meet your uncle, but he's gone. You can't change anything about that, though you could accept his inheritance and do something good with it. Maybe you could even go on a holiday to your new residence? We both know that you need a vacation before you'll go insane. Not to offend you, but you do look more like a zombie each passing day."

"Well thank you for the compliment," she said dryly. "And why on earth would I take it? Who knows, maybe he wanted to donate his money to charity?"

"He would've written a testament if he really wanted to give his money away. Come on, Lena, don't be ridiculous. You could use this money, whether you like to admit it or not. Your mother didn't exactly left you a huge fund because she didn't even have enough money for her own," Bonnie interfered, trying to talk some sense into her friend.

"I know that Bonn, though I don't know about this entire heritance thing. I'll think about it," she gave in eventually, knowing that her friend would keep talking about it otherwise.

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><p><strong>I know, it was pretty short, though the chapters should get longer. I just needed everyone to understand why Elena leaves the city and goes on a holiday to Mystic Falls. <strong>

**Next chapter Damon and she will meet...which should be quite interesting *winks*. **

**Now a little question, is there anyone who would like to be my beta for this story? I still have a beta, but she'd kinda busy and the only way that the updates will be faster is when I find someone else who does have enough time to help me out. **

**But even if I don't find anyone, Bibi, you're amazing girl! Thank you for helping me out as always! (Even if it takes some time, lol). **

**xoxo**


	2. When we meet

**AN: A big thank you to my wonderful beta Bibi! And to all of you who reviewed of course! **

**Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own the vampire diaries. However I consider the plot line as mine. **

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

_**Chapter 1**_

**When we meet**

After a lot of thinking, she eventually decided to listen to her friend. So here she was, sitting in a taxi, driving towards her new 'property'. She still couldn't believe her uncle actually left her all those things. It wasn't like her uncle knew what would happen to his money now that he was gone, of course. Only thinking about it made her sad, she would've loved to meet him, but it was too late, he wasn't there anymore…

Besides Bonnie (who she saw as a sister), she had no family left, only a big house in Virginia.

She left San Francisco this morning, after Bonnie had helped her packing. She went to the airport and took the first plane towards her new vacation house. She didn't understand why she let Bonnie talk her into accepting the house _and_ the money, not to mention her friend actually convinced her to take a vacation now that she had a cottage to go to. Maybe this little trip would really help her to find herself again and relax a bit. After all, even her boss thought it was a good idea to take some free time.

With a sad smile on her lips, she looked through the window, seeing houses pass in front of her eyes. Nothing looked familiar, _of course_, but it gave her a somber feeling. She'd left everything and everyone behind, for what? To find herself again, how pathetic did that sound? Maybe this all was one big mistake; maybe she should just leave and go back to where she belonged, _home_. Or at least she thought that was the place where she belonged, since she didn't exactly know what _home _meant. She never had a true home, a place where she felt safe and happy.

She didn't remember her father and her mother had been too busy running from one job to the other, to actually take care of her. Miranda had tried her best, but to say she had a nice and peaceful youth that would be an enormous lie. At school, she didn't have many friends; Bonnie was actually the only one that ever talked to her. She didn't know why, but for some reason, the kids just didn't like her very much. Most of them probably didn't know any better, but it still hurt. Children can be very cruel.

At least she still had Bonnie, in the beginning they weren't that close, but over the years they became best friends. She was the one single person that always stayed her friend, even when she moved to San Francisco to live alone; they didn't get out of touch. No; instead Bonnie just moved with her. Bonnie became a laboratory worker, since she loved to create new things, trying to save the world with her weird liquids. She was now working at the central hospital, trying to find a medicine against aids. It was an experiment, but Bonnie loved it.

Elena on the other hand studied journalism and became a writer for a local paper. Not exactly her big dream coming true, but it was a job she liked and it paid the bills. The money she got from John was very welcome, but not necessary. She could survive without it.

A relieved smiled tugged her lips when she saw the welcome sign of Mystic Falls, it looked…cozy? She'd never lived in a small village like this, but it looked very alluring. This tiny village had nothing in common with the big city she was used to. They passed by a small restaurant-bar called 'The Grill' and Elena found herself anxious to check it out.

A few minutes later the driver told her they were almost there. Her eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped when a beautiful lake and a big Victorian house came to sight. Holy shit, it was huge…like really huge! Bonnie would've been so exited if she would see this place. She took a mental note to send her friend a picture. The only weird thing about the house was that there was a car in front of it, huh? If her uncle and legal owner of this place were gone, who the hell would be living in that mausoleum? As far as she knew, her uncle wasn't married and didn't have any children. His cars had been retrieved from the assurance company and her notary told her she'll have to sign for their release, so what was the deal with the blue Camaro in the drive way?

The mansion should be empty; it was hers now there shouldn't be anyone inside. "Are you sure this is the right address?" she asked her driver. The nodded and stopped in front of the building, telling her how much she owned him. She quickly took the money out of her wallet and handed it over, while the man opened the trunk of the car to take out her luggage. He put her suitcases down and wished her a good afternoon before stepping into the car and driving away, leaving her there all on her own.

The weather was turning bad and she quickly took her suitcases and ran towards the front door of her new residence before the rain started pouring, making her shiver. Damn, she should've worn something warm, a sweater at least, instead of her tin summer blue dress. With a soft sigh she finally found the key and opened the door, a look of awe crossed her features when she looked inside, this place was marvelous.

But before she could look around any further, she heard footsteps coming closer and closer until she saw a raven black haired guy showing up in front of her, looking extremely frustrated. She looked up at him widen eyed, he was…beautiful, ocean blue eyes, wearing nothing else but black… she swallowed quickly, hoping he'd think she was blushing because she was cold, not because of him. Her state of shock quickly disappeared and changed into annoyance when she heard him roar. "Didn't they teach you any manners at school? First knock then come in! And who the hell are you?" the stranger exclaimed.

With a huff she answered him: "I could be asking you the same thing, who the hell are you? And what are you doing in my house?" she asked upset. She clearly wasn't expecting such an unfriendly welcome.

"_Your_ house? As far as I know this is _my_ property, I've lived here for almost ten years and never saw anyone! I paid the rent the man asked me to and there were never any problems," he growled, not happy with this unexpected visitor, though he had to admit she looked kinda hot, all furious like that. If he wasn't so mad at her for coming by unexpectedly, he'd probably started flirting with the brunette. The dress she was wearing hugged her body like a second skin, accentuating her natural curves.

"What?" she asked surprised. Did that mean her uncle John never lived here in the first place? He just rented the building? She was learning new things every minute. Wouldn't her notary know if her uncle was renting the place? She would certainly have to call him.

" My brother and I moved here when I was eighteen, I'm now twenty seven and in all those years I've never seen the owner of this place, so I'll ask again, where have you been and who the hell are you?" he questioned, trying to control the urge of screaming. Sweet Jesus, why on earth did they send this girl here and why now?

"But this house isn't even yours and I never saw any papers that this place would be rented!" she exclaimed. "Why on earth would you come and live here?" she asked the blue eyed (hot) stranger. Oh come on, Elena, she instructed herself, quit the staring and keep focused. She just couldn't help herself, the man in front of her looked extremely sexy, far more interesting than all the men she'd dated over the last couple years.

"That's none of your business!," he told her shortly, though he added "I just read an ad in the paper and started renting this place, sending an envelope with money to a certain Jonathan each and every month," but before she could answer him, another guy walked in. Although there were some resemblances between the two of them, the new guy looked different, friendly even.

"What's going on?" the guy stated, though it was supposed to be a question, his green eyes widened. "And who's she?" he added when he looked at Elena, giving her a soft smile. She shyly smiled back; surprised that he didn't look at her with the same disgust as the blue eyed man did. So now there were two of them? Living in her house? Great…just. Fucking. Great!

"That's exactly what I've been asking her for the last ten minutes," the raven haired guy told the other man, exaggerating the entire thing.

"God, you're hopeless. I told you before, this is my property. I should be asking you who you are instead of the other way around!" Elena exclaimed, losing all her patience. He was seriously getting on her nerve, how dare he to speak to her like that? She owned this place.

"Damon Salvatore, I should say it's nice to meet you, but that would be a lie," he said bluntly, not caring if he hurt her feelings. He just couldn't stand that a noisy little brat was acting like she was the one in charge, while he had lived in this place since forever.

"Same here," she told him sharply. "So you say that you pay rent? Well that's weird, since I never heard anything about that." In usual circumstances, she wouldn't yell or use sarcasm against a complete stranger, though she was just so frustrated that she didn't even think before speaking.

"We don't have a contract," the green eyed man interrupted, hoping he'd be able to cool down the mood of his brother and the lady in front of him, the tension inside the room was more than heavy enough already. "although we do have a verbal agreement with Jonathan. He said he lived on the other side of the country and didn't need this place. We've always paid the money, that I can assure you, though I don't know if you'll find proof."

She nodded her head, glad that there was at least someone that cared enough to inform her. "I'll ask my notary if he can find something, though you'll have to find another place since I'm moving in," she answered calmly, taking a deep breath. Mr. Howard probably knew a way to find out if these two were speaking the truth.

"What? Are you nuts? I'm not going to leave this place, I live here," Damon interrupted furiously. How dare she? No one was throwing him out here he worked far too hard to be homeless again.

It all started when he was younger, his mom passed away when Stefan was born; apparently something went wrong during the delivery. His father had become a shell of himself after that happened and started to shut out the world, including his sons. He never really looked out for them he just let them live their life. So when Damon turned eighteen, he decided to leave his father behind. Of course he couldn't just leave Stefan, so he took his little brother with him. In the end, he ended up driving them both across the country, searching for a place to start over.

At the time, Stefan was still under-aged, but his father didn't even care enough to come look for his children, he just let them be. So when Damon read an ad about a boarding house in this little town Mystic Falls, he decided to call the number. The man had politely told him all the details he needed to know and within a week they had a new place to stay. It had been weird to live alone with his brother, though he enjoyed being independent.

The only problem was the money, leaving his father, also meant leaving his trust fund behind. At the time, the only solution to live a normal life had been to quit his studies and search for a decent job that would pay the bills.

So to make sure that his brother could have the happy future he deserved, Damon started off as a cook at the local restaurant. Much to his surprise he even enjoyed his work and he would love to have his own restaurant one day, though he didn't think he'd ever have enough money to do so.

Stefan on the other hand, started studying law after he finished high school. He was such a smart guy and Damon was very proud of him. He always knew his brother would do great and he was proven right. He was now a twenty five year old lawyer with a beautiful girlfriend on his arm. But instead of being jealous, Damon was just very happy that at least he was able to help his brother out. He'd made something out of his life without the help of his father. He stopped being irresponsible and grew up to make sure his brother would be happy.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you live here. Although I won't throw you out without finding a solution first, don't worry. I'll make sure you both have a place to stay," she answered him, looking him straight in the eye without hesitation. She didn't like to be told what to do, if she wanted him gone, he would leave. It was simple like that.

"I'm sorry missy, but you can scream and shout all you want I'm not leaving, this place is my home," he told her firmly, taking a step closer until their breaths mingled.

"Damon please, if what she says is true, we can't stay here. She has every right to throw us out," his brother interfered. He knew the woman was right, if she really owned the house, it was no problem for her to make sure that they would be gone.

"You can say what you want, little brother, but I won't leave this place. No need to convince me," the blue eyed man said, while he kept looking Elena directly in the eye. Furiously, he made his way upstairs, not bothering to say goodbye to the woman in front of him.

He was just fucking furious that this this _little girl_ wanted to throw him out from the only place where he ever felt at home. His life hadn't been easy, but he'd tried to make the best out of it and now she was ruining everything.

"I'm sorry for my brother's behavior. He's just upset, that's all," the other brother explained. He knew why Damon was acting the way he did, though it didn't make it any less disrespectful. This woman didn't know their past; she didn't know how much his brother had worked to make sure that they would have a house to live in, instead of wandering around on the streets.

"That's okay. I guess I can understand his reaction. Here I am, a stranger, interfering in your life. He has every right to be mad," she said softly, regretting for acting like such a bitch. She shouldn't have yelled like that, she knew it couldn't be easy for them.

"I'm glad you understand. I'm Stefan, by the way," he told her, shaking her hand. He seemed like a really nice guy, though she wasn't interested. He didn't make her body react the way it responded to his brother. It was weird, she just met the blue eyed man and she already felt a strong pull towards him. He was attractive, of course, but there was something else…something she couldn't put a name on yet.

"Elena," she answered politely, "Elena Gilbert." The younger brother nodded his head, giving her a soft smile.

"May I ask you, Elena, why you're now the owner of this house?" the man asked carefully. He didn't want to push his luck, though Stefan was very curious as for how it was possible for her to be the new owner. Jonathan would surely have called if he sold the house, right?

"Of course. John passed away a few months ago. We didn't actually meet since we didn't know of each other's existence. He was my uncle and since he didn't have any other living relatives, everything he owned was passed on to me," she explained. "I live in San Francisco myself, but decided to take a break of my everyday life and search for this boarding house in Virginia," she smiled. The younger of her soon to be roommates seemed very friendly, though she liked her man to be a bit more dangerous and mysterious. More like… nah, Damon was off limits. Although he looked good enough to eat, she would probably have flirted with him if they met under different circumstances. His eyes were so bright and blue, it was hypnotizing.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Stefan said sincerely. "I hope you're not too disappointed to find the two of us living here, I'll make sure we can leave as soon as possible." He knew it wouldn't be easy to make his brother leave, though they couldn't stay. It'd be against the law to force her to let them stay in _her_ house.

"Oh, no worries," she told him friendly, "I suppose this house is big enough to live with the three of us for a while until you find a decent place. Although I don't think your brother's going to like to be roommates." She could only imagine how Damon would react if he heard that they would be living together for the next couple weeks. She knew how small this town was, it surely wouldn't be easy to find a new place to stay and she wouldn't force the brothers to move to another town just because she wanted to stay there.

Stefan laughed and nodded. "I'm sure it won't be easy for my brother to get used to the idea of living with a stranger," he admitted. "But I'll talk to him."

"That's very nice of you…Stefan," she answered him politely. "If it's not too much to ask, would you care to show me around this town a little? Cause I've no idea where I arrived, I'd love to see a bit more of the environment." Staying over here was one thing, but finding the grocery shop and stuff like that would be something entirely different. And of course she wasn't planning on staying in all the time, she came here on a holiday, she'd better enjoy her time.

"Of course not, I'm sure my girlfriend Caroline would love to show you around," he smiled. _See_, she knew he had a girlfriend, Elena thought smiling back at him. "Most of her friends moved out the village when they went to college, I'm sure she'd love to have another friend."

"I'd love to meet her, I'm sure she's a lovely girl," Elena told him, glad to get the opportunity to make new friends. Maybe her stay wouldn't be as boring as she first thought, certainly not with two brothers living together with her.

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><p><strong>So, I hope their first meeting was a bit interesting ;) <strong>

**Please leave me a review and tell me what you think! I'd really appreciate it!**

_**Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94**_


	3. Finding Friends

**AN: Thank you so much for all those wonderful reviews! They truly inspire me! However I was a bit disappointed with the response, I'm used to get more reviews. Anyway also a big thank you to Jamie (H2Opolochick) for beta reading this for me and to Bibi (bibi 13ca) for pre-reading the chapter! **

**Disclaimer: Nope I don't own The Vampire Diaries. However I consider the plot line as mine!**

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

_**Chapter 2**_

**Finding Friends**

**Day 1**

It was only five in the morning when Elena opened her eyes. After a night of tossing and turning in her new bedroom she gave up on sleep altogether and got up . She'd expected to fall asleep immediately after her long trip to Mystic Falls, but with everything that happened the last 24 hours she found herself rather restless.

As he promised, Stefan had showed her around town with his girlfriend Caroline. She was a very nice person with a big heart. Immediately, she had welcomed Elena as if they had been friends for many years. She'd showed Elena all the luxury shops and cozy hideouts.

Elena immediately felt comfortable around Caroline which surprised her because she usually needed time to get used to new people. The exuberant blonde was just a very special Caroline still lived with her mother, the sheriff of the little town. Apparently, her father had left them when she was still a toddler. Stefan and she had been dating for almost two years now, but he was too shy to ask her to live together; Caroline didn't want to push him.

It had been a nice and interesting afternoon and she felt more comfortable in her new environment than she expected. The people in town seemed very sweet, though a bit curious, too. Everyone in town knew each other and because Elena was the new girl, they wanted to know all about her too. There was this woman that lived close by the Boarding house, that kept asking her all sorts of questions when they met at the local 'French' restaurant. Her name was Mrs. Flowers and she lived alone after her kids left looking for better opportunities in bigger cities. Of course Elena knew that old ladies loved to gossip and she didn't mind.

Over the years, Elena had learned to keep her past hidden; she didn't want anyone's pity. It didn't solve anything and didn't make anyone happier. People always seemed to treat her differently when they really knew about her past life. She'd become the poor girl without her parents again. The lonely soul that had nobody left… It was exactly what she didn't want; she didn't want anyone to know.

Being as quiet as possible, she took her bathrobe, put it on and walked downstairs. Maybe a nice cup of coffee would help to get enough energy to continue through another day of her boring life; even in a total new town it was still the same. She was still the same. Her life would never become as joyful as it once used to be, she would never wear that bright smile again.

Once in the kitchen, she started to doubt her idea of drinking a cup of coffee. She didn't even know where she could find the cups, let alone find everything to make coffee. Letting out an annoyed sigh, she started searching through the cabinets, trying not to slam the doors closed.

"Need some help?" she heard someone chuckle behind her, definitely enjoying her fiddling. With a frustrated huff, she turned around only to stand face to face with Damon. He was looking at her in amusement – a smirk across his face.

"I was trying to make a cup of coffee," she told him annoyed before turning around again and avoiding eye contact. She wished she could wipe that smirk off his face, but before she could open another cabin he interrupted her.

"I can see that, though I'm quite thirsty myself and I'm not going to wait any longer," he said fiercely before opening the right cabin and taking everything out of it that he needed. He was still mad at her, even Stefan's brotherly chat didn't help. He just couldn't believe this girl was really messing with his life. They didn't deserve this, _he_ didn't deserve this.

"Okay, I know you are still a bit angry with me, but can we please move past this? I'm not going to throw you out, I just want you to look for another place to live," she explained carefully. She understood his issue, but that didn't mean that she liked to be treated this way. He had no right to be so disrespectful. She didn't expect him to become her best friend, though a truce wouldn't harm them.

"A bit? I'm fucking furious! You really don't know who you are messing with," he yelled at her in frustration, taking a step closer towards her and trapping her between the wall and his body. "You should've stayed away from me and this house," he went on, taking another step closer until they were touching. He knew he was probably scaring her with his bad boy attitude, but when he felt her curves fitting perfectly against his body, he just couldn't step away anymore. He liked the feeling of having her so close way too much.

"I'm sorry," she uttered softly, her lips trembling. She didn't like the feeling of losing all control over the situation, but the man in front of her just made it impossible for her to keep up her brave charade. Although that wasn't the only thing he made sure of, the wetness was practically pooling between her legs, thanks to his extremely dominate attitude. It was so fucking hot that she just couldn't keep her hormones in control. Her cheeks had become a bright shade of red while her body was trembling in anticipation. She knew it was wrong to feel this way, but with his body pressed against hers…she just couldn't fight it.

"You should be," he told her, his eyes piercing hers. Taking a deep breath he started to step back, giving her a part of her personal space back, though he didn't go far. "Although that won't solve our problem," he said. As long as she wanted him and his brother gone, they still had a problem whether she was sorry or not.

"I understand this is your home, Damon. I wish I didn't have to throw you guys out, but you can't expect me to give you this house. I need to stay here and I can't do that while you two are running around in my private space," she explained calmly, relieved that he took a step away from her. She couldn't think clearly with him so close, his breath on her lips, his scent teasing her senses.

"That's bullshit. You don't have to stay here; you can easily go back to where you came from. I'm sure no one would miss you," he retorted angrily. He knew he was being a dick, most of the things he said he didn't really mean. She just got on his nerves and he didn't know how to react. He just hoped that if she didn't feel welcome, then she would eventually leave, which meant he had the house all to himself again.

It probably sounded rather selfish, but he just didn't want to leave the house. He would do everything in his power to make sure the girl would let him stay, even if it meant hurting her feelings. He had never been a good guy; he only used women for fun. Although it felt different this time, he actually cared about the fact that he was hurting her. Well, he just had to ban those thoughts and maybe, _maybe_ his plan would work out.

"That's just crude. You should be happy I let you stay here until you find another place. I could've easily thrown you both out without thinking twice about it!" she answered, hurt. How could he say something like that? He didn't even know her. Of course no one would miss her; she didn't even meet half of the people that lived in this village. Although that didn't mean that she wouldn't miss this place. Even if she only arrived a day ago, she already loved the small town.

"Well, why don't you? Just throw us out and your problem's solved," he told her fiercely. He knew he was taking a huge risk, but he just wanted to see what her reaction would be. She looked like a rather nice girl, a do-gooder. He already knew she wasn't a heartless bitch like most girls he knew, though you can never be sure. Women can be very sneaky if they want to be. That was something he'd learned over the years.

She just shook her head and walked towards the living room, but before she left the room she answered, "Don't think I'm a fool, Damon Salvatore. Your games don't work on me."

He stood there utterly shocked, unable to move. She saw through him? She knew he was trying to screw her over? How was that even possible, no one ever understood his way of convincing people into doing what he wanted them to. Manipulating was something he was used to doing, something he was a pro at. She was supposed to tell him she would never make them homeless, so he could go on and on that if she was such a good person that she would let them stay. God dammit! This was going to be harder than he expected it to be. Why did Elena have to be a girl with brains.

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><p><strong>Day 2<strong>

It was late in the afternoon and Elena would go out for dinner in a few minutes with Caroline. She called her an hour ago because her mom canceled their girls' night out and she didn't want to be alone. Stefan was at a business meeting until late at night. She asked Elena if she wanted to go with her to the Grill and being a good friend, Elena complied. How could she not? Caroline Forbes was the most determined person she'd ever met; the woman was able to convince practically everyone.

Although that wasn't the only reason why she had agreed to go with her, she also could really use a friend. After her conversation with Damon the day before, she didn't really know what to do anymore. Maybe he was right; maybe she should go home and act like nothing ever happened. She was ruining the life of two brothers just because she decided she wanted to live in another town for a while. When she thought about, she became more and more convinced that she was a horrible person. These men had lived in Mystic Falls for years; she shouldn't mess with their future and throw them out of their home.

According to Caroline, the Salvatore brothers had had a difficult past. Stefan wouldn't talk about it and it worried the blonde that he was so tight lipped when they were talking about their youth. Elena could understand why someone didn't want to talk about their past, though it also made her very curious as for why Damon had become so cold hearted. It was obvious that he didn't know how to love someone, how to show he cared. In only two days, she'd figured out as much. She just wanted to know why, what was the hidden reason behind his behavior?

At first, she'd thought he was just a first class jackass, though every time they talked he immediately started hiding behind that mask of his, being as rude as possible. She expected it to be a wall he used to protect himself from getting hurt, though she wasn't sure just yet. Maybe she was all wrong, maybe there just wasn't anything good about the blue eyed man. Although when she saw how protective he was of his brother, she got this feeling that she was right. Maybe Caroline knew the answer, after all, she knew the brothers much longer than she did.

Putting on a comfortable pair of jeans and a simple sweater, she was ready to leave. Caroline would pick her up in exactly five minutes and the woman had asked her to be on time. She quickly ran the hairbrush through her hair, hoping she didn't look too bad before walking downstairs.

When she reached the last step the doorbell rang and she quickly ran towards the hall to open the front door. Within seconds Caroline walked in, a bright smile across her face. "That's such a beautiful handbag!" she squealed, pointing at it. "You have to tell me where you got it!" the blonde added happily. She was wearing a tight blue robe which fitted her like a second skin.

Elena smiled at her shyly, thanking her for the compliment. "Should I wear something more formal?" she asked slightly afraid, since her new friend was wearing a beautiful dress together with high heels, while she was still in her sneakers and jeans.

"Of course not, you don't have to dress up like I do, although your legs would look much longer in elegant heels, I have this feeling that you don't really like dressing up," Caroline answered smiling. She already figured out that Elena was a bit more complicated. The brunette had some secrets of her own and Caroline knew she needed to be careful with what she said, since she didn't want to scare her away.

"You're right. I like my sneakers much better," she told her honestly. "I only wear a dress or high heels when I have to go to a party, which happens almost never." As a journalist, people expected her to wear tight skirts and high heels, a bit more chic than a casual jean. Although she never listened to that kind of rules, she just wore something comfortable to work. She wouldn't change for anybody, if they didn't like the way she was dressed, well that's too bad.

"Well, are you ready to go? Good food is waiting for us," the blonde winked. Today Damon was working at the Mystic Grill so they could be sure to get the most delicious food in the region. He was a great cook. It was remarkable how delicious his pastas tasted; you could truly see he loved Italian food. Although he was more of a dessert kind of guy and he often made tiramisu and ricotta cheesecake at home. He had tried to teach Stefan to cook a few things, but her boyfriend was a real disaster in the kitchen he didn't even know how to boil water. The last time she tried to convince him to make some food he almost burned the kitchen down. Damon had been furious and banned him out of the kitchen for good.

"Sure," Elena answered smiling. To be honest, she was starving. She couldn't even remember the last time she ate something decent. When she was still in San Francisco, the only times she ate a real meal was when Bonnie was cooking. Usually, she just skipped meals or drank a smoothie to fill her empty stomach.

"So how are you enjoying Mystic Fall's so far?" Caroline asked curiously while they were walking towards the car. She had tried to spend as much time with Elena as possible since the girl arrived in town because she knew how awful it was to have no one to go out with. After her best friend Rose left town, she had been quite depressed. Luckily Stefan had been there for her; he was such a sweetheart. It was then they started dating and they didn't break up ever since. She just loved him too much. She truly believed he was the one for her, her own prince charming… too bad he didn't have a white horse, she thought smiling.

"It's a nice town," the brunette shrugged. She didn't really know what to say. It was a beautiful place and she'd never felt more relaxed than here. Although she didn't feel good about throwing the brothers out, which made sure she didn't sleep much at night. She still couldn't believe she was actually doing this.

"I'm sure you miss the city. Here you only have a few shops and one tavern to be exact. I love living in a small town. The people here are just very different, we all know each other," Caroline explained joyfully. She loved her home town, even if she looked more like a city girl, she wouldn't want to change it.

"I do like it here, though I miss my friend, Bonnie. We're usually always together, the last time I didn't see her for more than two days was when I was sixteen. It's weird to be so far apart from each other, though I call her every evening. It's like writing in a dairy, but instead I call my friend," Elena told her Caroline. She truly missed her best friend; they had always been so close. Hopefully, Bonnie would soon have the time to visit her.

"Don't worry, I understand. I had a hard time too when my friend left town," the blonde answered politely. She knew all too well how it felt to be alone, or to think you are alone for that matter. But you're never completely alone - there is always someone there for you.

They drove towards the Grill in silence, both enjoying their new understanding. Elena truly liked Caroline and she was sure they could be great friends. The blonde was a very sweet person and she could be a little overwhelming at times but her heart was in the right place. Caroline reminded her a lot of Bonnie; they were both good persons that were always there to help their friends out. She knew she was lucky to know such wonderful people.

After a few minutes, they arrived at the local tavern. It was the one she'd seen on her way over to the boarding house when she first arrived in Mystic Falls. She was kind of curious how it looked on the inside, the only thing she knew was that Caroline's niece Rebecca worked there too.

Caroline was a well-known inhabitant of the town because when she walked in, she immediately bumped into a few of her acquaintances. It made Elena feel quite uncomfortable and useless since she knew no one herself. Thankfully, the blonde quickly helped her out by introducing a few people so she could have a conversation with them instead of standing there like wall-flower.

Within a few minutes, they were brought to their table and ordered something to drink. She was glad they were finally alone again as she still felt quite uncomfortable among so many strangers. "What would you recommend?" she asked smiling, not knowing what to choose at all. There were just so many delicious things on the menu.

"The Italian dishes because Damon's very good at making delicious pastas. Although the desserts are even better! He's a true genius in the kitchen," the blonde answered her happily. She really liked hanging out with Elena and they were bonding rather quickly.

"Damon's the cook of this tavern?" Elena asked surprised. Of course she didn't know what he did for a living; it wasn't like they ever had a decent conversation without yelling at each other. Although she never thought he would be a cook, he looked more like a business man or something.

"Yeah, you didn't know?" Caroline asked surprised. "He started here when they arrived in town because he needed a job. Apparently he likes it more than he thought at first cause he really loves cooking," the woman explained. She still remembered the first time she met Damon Salvatore, he'd been a real pain in the ass, but his brother had immediately interrupted and helped her out. Ever since then, Stefan and she had been friends. He could be very protective if he wanted to be.

Although Damon wasn't that bad either; he just needed time to get used to new people. He could be a first class, arrogant jerk, though on the inside he was a nice guy. You just needed to understand his way of communicating. Often, he didn't mean half of what he said. He spoke without thinking twice about what he was actually saying. Teasing someone was his way of telling he cared.

"No, I didn't. It's not like we really talk to each other. He's still furious because I want him to look for another place to live," she explained to her new friend. She would have never guessed Damon to be someone who loved spending time in the kitchen – though she was kind of prejudiced because she didn't know who Damon Salvatore really was. She'd only seen him on his worst behavior so far.

"He's not really mad at you, just at the world. He doesn't understand what he's done wrong this time, though it's not his fault. You don't have to take anything he says personally, he'll just want to hurt you because you hurt him too. He can be pretty childish like that. Damon's just a difficult person, but I'm sure you'll find out yourself just how much of a pain in the ass he can be," Caroline said smiling. The brunette really didn't know what she was getting herself into; living with Damon… she knew she wouldn't survive it. Good person or not, he could be a real toddler if he wanted to.

"I know and I understand why he acts the way he does, though it's not really nice to be treated so disrespectfully. He acts like I'm the worst person on earth while I'm just doing what seems best. It's not like I'm throwing him out without making sure he has a place to stay," she explained, shaking her head. "I just don't understand why he has to make this so difficult for me."

"It's just how he is; he'll keep trying to bully you out of the house. Although he'll soon realize that's not the most brilliant idea. You're a nice person, Elena, he has to be blind not to see that," the blonde told her. She truly felt bad for Elena; she didn't know why Damon was acting that badly. He really needed to learn manners someday. It was obvious that Elena didn't want to hurt him on purpose.

Before Elena could react, the waitress came to their table to bring the hot chocolates they ordered and asked what they wanted for dinner. She soon realized this girl must be Rebecca since Caroline was acting super nice to her and started asking how she liked her job. "It's great," the girl said smiling, "And it has the advantage that I can talk to Damon Salvatore without having to make a fool out of myself," Rebecca added smiling, her cheeks flushed.

"You still have a crush on him?" Caroline asked laughing. It was unbelievable. Her niece had been trying to get Damon to notice her for more than a year now, but apparently he was just blind to her attention or he just knew how to hide it. In the meantime Caroline noticed immediately the way Elena tensed when the women started talking about Damon.

"Shh, not so loud," the girl said annoyed, looking around to see if anyone had heard Caroline. It looked like no one was eavesdropping, but you never know of course.

"You're just so cute," Caroline teased, pouting at the girl in front of her. "Anyway, I want the spaghetti and panna cotta for dessert." It was one of her favorites.

"For me the pasta carbonara and tiramisu," Elena said politely when Rebecca turned her attention to her. She wasn't really planning on eating something Italian, but after her talk with Caroline she was very curious about Damon's cooking skills.

After writing their order down she left the two of them alone again, disappearing after the bar. "She looks nice," the brunette told her new friend, trying to hide her jealous reaction. She didn't even know why she felt this way; the girl just had a crush on the blue eyed man that lived in her house.

"She is. We used to be very close, but we kind of lost contact when she started dating this Klaus guy. They broke up a few months ago and now we're rebuilding our bond. It's weird how a guy can break a friendship like that," Caroline explained, letting out a sigh. She could still remember when those two started dating, it had been awful. Becca had turned into a shell of herself while she was together with the guy; luckily, she finally found her brains again and started using them!

"So, how did you meet Stefan?" Elena asked carefully, knowing it was kind of personal. Although Caroline seemed like a very open person, very optimistic too.

"Oh, it's a funny story actually…"

After three hours of chattering and eating, the girls left the Mystic Grill together. They had a beautiful night together; both enjoying each other's company. It was like they had been friends for much longer than just two days. Their conversation went much easier than Elena had expected and she felt like she could trust Caroline. The girl was obviously a nice person and she wouldn't betray a friend for her own benefit.

Caroline had offered to drive her home, since Elena still hadn't found a car. She'd hoped to find a nice car that didn't cost too much, but no such luck. She was still stuck with hiring a taxi, which wasn't exactly the cheapest option either. So without thinking too much about it she had accepted the woman's offer. She didn't want to take advantage of people, but she could use this help.

"We're here," the blonde told her when they finally arrived at the boarding house. Elena still wasn't used to her new home. It didn't immediately feel like home because even if it was nicely decorated, she still had to give it her own personal touch.

"Thanks Care. Hopefully, I'll see you again soon!" she smiled up at her new friend, slowly getting out of the car.

"No problem. Yeah, see ya soon!" the blond smiled back before driving of the lane and heading home. Elena waved at her one last time before quickly running inside. It was cold outside and she was freezing. According to the weather forecasting it should be snowing now, although except for a few clouds, the sky looked pretty clear.

When she walked inside, she quickly ran towards the fireplace to get it started. It was then she realized she was all alone in the big mansion. At times like that, she missed her roommate the most. When she lived in San Francisco she was never home alone, Bonnie didn't like going on trips so she was always there. She was a real homebody

Tonight Stefan was working very late and would be staying at Caroline's. Damon on the other hand should be home soon, since the Grill closed in a few minutes, but she didn't know if she should be happy about that.

Letting out a yawn, she lay down on the couch and watched the fire for a little while until sleep took over, dreaming about a certain blue eyed man.

* * *

><p>With a huff Damon opened the front door, clearly in a bad mood. The entire day at work he couldn't do anything else but think about his new roomy. How was it even possible, the girl hunted his dreams at night and now he even day-dreamed about her. He couldn't believe he was such a moron. She wanted him to fucking leave, how the hell could he be attracted to her? <em>That's not so hard; she's such a sweetheart, looking all innocent with her brown doe-eyes<em>, a voice whispered in his head. Damn it, no, she was anything but sweet. She was about to ruin his life and he had to make sure she would take her bags and leave town- preferably never coming back.

When he walked into the living room he stood frozen to the ground. There she was, lying on the couch, asleep. He didn't think he'd ever seen something more beautiful. He could deny it as much as he wanted, but he clearly saw her as more than an enemy. He never felt such an attraction towards someone before, not even to Katherine. She had been the only one he ever tried to have a real relationship with. Too bad she clearly didn't feel the same way about him and left him for that stupid asshole, Mason. He still didn't understand what the fuck did he do to deserve something like that when he would've done everything for her. She left. They all left.

Smiling sadly, he walked towards the closet and took a blanket to cover Elena. The fire would go out any minute and she would be getting cold. The house wasn't the most modern one and the heating wasn't strong enough to warm the entire place. In the beginning, he didn't even turn on the heat because the electricity was too expensive. Luckily, his job at the Grill paid fairly well and he didn't have money issues anymore, that might change now that he had to look for a new place. The rent they had to pay John wasn't that much and he never asked for more, paying rent elsewhere would be a lot more expensive

He slowly draped the blanket over her frame, careful not to wake her. When he was done he stood still for a while, admiring her before he started to walk towards the staircase. He had to get her out of his head; she wasn't what he needed. He didn't want a relationship, he was happy with his life as a single man. If only he could convince himself of that.

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><p><strong>More tension, more fighting,... Hopefully you all enjoyed it! And as promised the chapters are getting longer!<strong>

**So pretty, pretty please, leave me a review! They inspire me so I can write faster ;)**

_**Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94.**_

**xoxo**


	4. Helping Hand

**A/N: Thanks for all those wonderful reviews, people! It really helped to keep me inspired. **

**And as always, a big thank you to my beta Jamie and to Bibi for pre-reading this chapter for me! **

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own the vampire diaries and I probably never will, however I consider this plot line as mine! **

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor <strong>

_**Chapter 3**_

**Helping Hand**

**Day 4**

It was almost ten in the morning and in exactly thirty minutes Elena had to be at the Lockwood mansion. She had promised to help Caroline out with the preparations for the Mystic Falls Charity Ball event that was taking place in three days, but her friend was worried that she wouldn't get everything done in time. The woman was totally stressed out.

Caroline Forbes was the local event planner in Mystic Falls, she arranged all kind of events: from weddings to funerals and even to the school dances. Elena was very impressed to see what her new friend had achieved in her twenty-five years of life. To say that Caroline was a busy person was an understatement. She had practically no free time at all. So of course, Elena had felt the need to help her out. She didn't know much about organizing such a big occasion, but she just couldn't let Caroline do it all by herself. It wasn't like she had much to do anyway; she could use something to do to pass her time and what better way than charity.

They would make a great team, she was sure of it. The blonde was often hysterically stressed while Elena tended to be very calm and focused. Together they should get everything done without much trouble.

Meanwhile Stefan came walking downstairs. In the afternoon, he would leave for a meeting in New York, he had to go see a property with one of his most important clients.

"I'll drive you to the Lockwood's, I still have to talk to Caroline before I leave for New York this afternoon," Stefan said coming downstairs. She was still busy putting everything she needed into her bags when he walked in.

"Sure, I'll be ready in five," Elena told him nodding while she rushed to get everything done. After she woken up the day before, Caroline had asked her to go shopping so they could buy the stuff needed for ball room decorations. They'd stored everything in the boarding house since it was much bigger than Caroline's place.

When she remembered the former morning, a smile came across her lips. She'd woken up on the couch with a blanket covering her; however, she was sure that she hadn't taken one herself. It could only mean one thing - Damon had cared enough to make sure she wouldn't get cold at night since he was the only one that was home. It was very sweet of him, though she didn't dare to bring it up, afraid of how he might react. She knew he had quite a temper and that he wouldn't be too happy admitting that he was actually trying to help her. So instead of thanking him, she'd ignored the fact that he did something nice.

There's only been four days since she arrived in Mystic Falls, but she already missed her home, mostly her best friend Bonnie. She hadn't been able to talk to her for two days because her friend was busy at the hospital. They discovered something very important which could lead to a huge achievement, so now Bonnie didn't want to give up and she spent all her free time at the hospital with her new assistant Luca.

Her best friend seemed rather taken with the guy, which made Elena kind of suspicious. She expected that there was more going on between the two of them. Bonnie wasn't one to date very often and it was the first time she was so positive about someone. Although her friend clearly wasn't ready to admit her true feelings, so Elena wouldn't push her.

"You're still here?" Damon asked rudely when he came downstairs. He couldn't believe his plan wasn't working, apparently pissing her off wasn't the most genius idea because she still hadn't made a move to go back home. Instead, the girl was befriending the entire town, even Ms. Lockwood seemed to like her. She'd asked him to bring Elena as his date for the Charity Ball but he had refused. There was no way in hell that he was taking the little agitator. He still had to figure out a new plan to get her to leave, but he knew he would find something. No matter what, he would get his way.

"Good morning to you too! You're always such a sweetheart in the morning," she smirked looking up at him. He surely wasn't expecting her to be polite after he made such a rude comment, though it was exactly what she wanted. She liked to surprise him and the shocked look on his face was enough to convince her she was doing just fine. Her new method worked pretty well to silence him - exactly what she needed.

Not knowing how to answer, he just rolled his eyes and acted like nothing was wrong while quickly heading toward the kitchen. He could hear Stefan letting out a chuckle when he passed and he shot his brother a dangerous look which only made him laugh more. It was ridiculous that a simple girl like her could bring him to silence, but here he was, speechless in front if a woman for the first time. Either she had special powers or he was losing his touch with woman seduction.

Elena on the other hand was in a great mood, what a wonderful morning she thought, grinning from ear to ear. She couldn't believe she had been able to leave the guy speechless. It was just too good to be true. "I'm ready," she said when she saw Stefan walking in. The sudden smile on his lips made her realize that he'd been eavesdropping. Apparently she wasn't only one that liked to kick Damon's ass.

He nodded quickly and she walked behind him towards the car that was parked on the lane. She hadn't really figured Stefan out yet, though he had fewer layers than his brother. He was the typical sweet boy that was loyal to his girlfriend and always wore a smile. It was almost like you couldn't get him angry. The one thing she knew for sure was that he was madly in love with Caroline, he just couldn't stop grinning like an idiot every time she was in the room. It was so sweet to see the two of them together; they were like the perfect couple.

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><p>She arrived at the Lockwood mansion just in time. Caroline was already standing outside together with Ms. Lockwood. They were hanging up the banner above the front door so that everyone would know exactly why they were there. The Charity Ball worked rather simply, you just had to come by and drink a few fancy cocktails. Afterwards the donation they had collected from the party would go to single mothers, so they were able to assure a beautiful future for their families. Each year Ms. Lockwood chose a different charity project that they would support. Elena thought it was something beautiful: so many people working together to assure happiness for others.<p>

"What do you think?" Caroline said smiling when she saw Elena arriving. She had been working since seven in the morning and was glad to finally see a familiar face besides Ms. Carol. She was a very sweet woman, though she could nag you until you had gone crazy. The woman really didn't know any limits.

"It's beautiful, you did a great job," Elena answered smiling. She couldn't wait to see how the inside of the house looked. The garden was already decorated with small lights and a few men were putting up a tent in the backyard. She was sure it would look beautiful in the dark.

"Thank you," the blond answered grinning. "Do you already have a dress?" she asked after a while

Elena looked up at her in surprise, not really expecting the question. She wasn't even planning to join her friends to the ball, though if Caroline asked her to, she knew she couldn't refuse. "No, though I haven't searched one either," she said honestly.

"No problem, I've a few free hours tomorrow to go shopping with you. Although, you still have to find a date. You could ask Damon," Caroline suggested smiling, secretly wanting to hook her two friends up. She was sure they would make a cute couple. They both needed someone and their personalities certainly matched. There was always firework when you put the two together in a room, whether it was because they were angry at each other or attracted to one another.

"You don't have to go shopping with me," Elena answered quickly, not liking the direction of their conversation. She wouldn't go to a ball with someone that despised her. "Besides, I'm sure Damon already has a date. I've no problem with going alone," she added. How could it be possible that a handsome guy like Damon didn't have a date? The ladies were probably waiting in line for him. She was sure someone else would be happy to join him

"No way, everyone's taking someone, you have to search a date, Lena!" the woman exclaimed, disappointed. There was no way she would let the brunette go by herself. "And no, Damon doesn't have a date yet. I asked him yesterday and he told me that Andy couldn't come with him so he'd go alone. It's the perfect opportunity!" Damn, why couldn't these two see that they were made for each other? She had to do everything in her power to convince Andy to stay at home so Damon would have to search another date. At first the woman had been quite disappointed, though Andy knew that Damon would never become her boyfriend. He'd made it very clear that he didn't want a relationship. Instead, he just wanted to have casual sex with no strings attached.

"So what? We can both go alone," she retorted. There was no way she would ever go to the ball with him. It was bad enough that they lived together, let alone go to a social event with him as her date. He was good-looking, okay he was quite handsome, but that didn't mean she liked him. When you take someone as your date it means you like the person, and well, she didn't like him. She shook her head as the voice inside her head whispered, "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"How stupid would that be? You can live together, but not go to a public event together? That's just ridiculous," the blond stated. She wouldn't give up this easily, if she didn't play cupid, her friends would both stay single for_ever_. It was just too sad; she had to make sure they would have a happy ending they deserved. Maybe she should search for the number of this Bonnie girl, if she knew Elena so well, she might be able to help her out.

"Just stop asking Caroline, it's not going to happen. Besides, Stefan still wants to talk to you, he's waiting in the car," Elena answered convincingly. No. Way. In. Hell. She would just go alone. Who needs a date?

* * *

><p><strong>Day 5<strong>

After a long discussion, Elena let Caroline convince her to go shopping together. The woman just wouldn't accept 'no' for an answer. Her plan B was to make Elena look so hot that Damon wouldn't be able to keep his eyes of her. She couldn't understand why her friends had to act so difficult, though she actually enjoyed playing matchmaker for a little longer. She couldn't wait to see the look on Damon's face when he would see Elena. Elena was a beautiful girl, with the help of the perfect dress and a little makeup, she will have Damon drooling all over her in no time.

It might be a little evil to play her two friends like this, but it surely was fun. Although the real fun would come once her plan succeeded, there was just no chance that it would fail. Come on, how would Damon be able to resist his roomy when she looked this good? "This is the dress, I just know it!" Caroline squealed, jumping up and down when Elena walked out of the fitting room. She was wearing a velvet red dress that hugged her body closely. It had a deep split on the right side and showed just enough cleavage to make a man's heart beat faster.

"I think it's a bit too much," Elena answered quickly, turning around in front of the mirror. She never wore a dress like this, it was just too feminine, too exposed… too much. Although she had to admit, she'd never seen herself look more… seductive? She was sure that men would flock towards her, like bees to a honey pot. She knew she wasn't ugly, though she never thought of herself as beautiful either. Well, this dress certainly showed another part of her, maybe it wasn't that bad after all. She took another look at herself in the mirror, trying to get used to it.

"Too much? It can never be too much, Elena. This dress is just perfect, it makes you look like a goddess. Aphrodite would be invisible next to you," the woman answered. There wouldn't be another dress that would make Elena look as good as this one did, it was simply amazing. She hadn't even known that her friend was hiding such a body underneath her jeans and loose sweaters.

"Please," the brunette answered blushing fiercely. "That's so exaggerated, the dress is nice, but I'll never be a goddess, Care." That was the most beautiful compliment she ever got, too bad she was so sure that it wasn't true. She would never be a goddess, she wasn't even close to one. She always wore casual clothes and didn't follow the new fashion trends, how could she be beautiful? She was nothing compared to those models in magazines. They were the beautiful ones.

"You are a wonderful person, Elena, a true beauty inside and outside. You shouldn't underestimate yourself," the blonde went on. She'd always know that Elena was quite shy and insecure, though she didn't expect that her friend thought so little of herself. She was an amazing friend, she should have a bit more faith in herself.

Unable to utter any words, Elena just gave Caroline a slight nod before going back into the fitting room. Never in her twenty-five years of living had she ever gotten such a beautiful compliment from someone that didn't even know her that well. Of course her mom used to tell her how beautiful she was, though that was different. A mother always thought her child was the prettiest one, even if they were ugly as hell.

After she changed back to her own clothing (which was a skirt instead of a jeans for change, blame the blonde), Elena went to the pay desk and bought the dress, just like Caroline would want her to. She didn't talk about the dress anymore, she just tried to act like nothing was wrong, while she was actually kind of overwhelmed…still. She just couldn't help but feel happy that someone like Caroline Forbes came into her life.

"I made an appointment for you with my hairdresser, Daisy. She'll be turning you into a true angel this afternoon," Caroline told her when they walked towards the car together, acting like it was the most normal thing in the world while Elena knew nothing about an appointment with the hairdresser. "Too bad I can't be there with you cause I've to go back to the Lockwood mansion. Although, I'm sure she'll do fine without my chattering," she went on.

"Hairdresser? Care, what the hell have you been planning?" she asked her friend looking slightly frustrated. Picking out a dress, okay, but now a hairdresser too? What the hell was going on? Hadn't Caroline told her that she didn't have to dress up if she didn't want to?

"Nothing to worry about. I'm just helping you with this little makeover. You'll feel reborn after everything is over. You will be going to Daisy first, afterwards I'm sending you to a beauty center of a friend of mine. They'll help you to search the perfect make-up that matches your features the best. Like I said, you'll look like a true goddess," Caroline winked, a smile appearing on her face when she saw the true look of horror on her friend's face. "Don't worry, you'll be fine!" were her last words before she dropped Elena off at the hairdresser, leaving the woman completely shocked.

* * *

><p>The clock had just stuck seven o'clock when Elena arrived home. After her visit at the hairdresser and beauty center, she had stopped at a local gas station to wipe the make-up off her face and take the hair clips out. She would never get used to the look so she decided that taking a few things away wouldn't hurt.<p>

The hairdresser had done a magnificent job, cutting just the right amount of hair so she now had a fashionable haircut. The woman had also insisted to curl her hair, it gave her an entire different look since she usually wore her hair straight. She couldn't say it didn't look good on her, though she probably needed a while to get used to all these new changes. She wasn't the girl to do a makeover, so she didn't feel very comfortable now that she was pushed to change her looks. She knew Caroline was only trying to help her out, but she didn't exactly like to be pushed by someone.

It was only when she turned the key in the lock that she realized someone was home since the door was already open. With a sigh, she stepped inside, not in the mood for another argument with Damon Salvatore. She wasn't really looking forward to spend the entire evening with someone that despised her. She'd thought that Damon would stop being mad at her and realize that she wasn't such a bad person after all, but he still held a grudge towards her. It felt like she couldn't do anything right, he just kept giving her those threatening looks.

When she walked inside the living room, Damon was lighting up the fire place, murmuring a soft 'good evening' while she put her handbag down. After a moment he was done and turned towards her, his eyes widening visibly when he took in her appearance. He swallowed quickly before saying: "You look different," and then turning around to walk into the kitchen, not daring to make eye-contact.

Different? Jesus, that must have sounded completely stupid. He'd never seen her look more beautiful. Her usual ponytail was replaced by beautiful waving curls draped over her shoulders while she wore a knee-high skirt with a halter top above it. He had to force himself to walk away from her before he would kept staring at her like a moron…or worse, push her against the closest wall and attack her lips with all the passion he kept hidden from her. He was in such a mess!

His pants was getting tight while the bulge inside it kept growing when he pictured her, lying underneath his body, her hair spread over his silk sheets, her lips swollen from his kisses… Damn! He should stop the imagines, right now. Having sexual fantasies about her wouldn't help to get her out of the way.

"What are you doing?" she asked surprised when she walked into the kitchen. He seemed in a rather good mood considering the fact that he took the time to notice something had changed about her looks. Although it wasn't the actual reaction she was hoping for. Couldn't he at least say something nice? Like it suits you or something?

"What does it look like?" he retorted smirking. He didn't have to go to the Grill today so he decided that he'd cook at home, to keep himself busy. He'd started in the early afternoon so he would be ready when Elena came home. He still hadn't decided why he suddenly wanted to be nice to her, though it felt better than just hurting her on purpose. He knew bullying her wasn't going to work, maybe seducing was a better way to get his job done. Although he wasn't going that far, just a little innocent flirting should be enough, there was no way he was sleeping with the enemy! Although it was a good looking enemy…Nope we're not going there again! Keep your fucking hormones in control Salvatore!

"I can see that you are cooking, Damon, I'm not blind. My question is more like why," she answered annoyed. Couldn't they at least have a normal conversation as two adults instead of their usual banter? It would be so much easier. She still couldn't believe she let Caroline persuade her to participate in this madness!

"I was bored, okay," he told her looking down, not daring to look her in the eye. He really didn't like where this was going, he loved to be in control, but with Elena around… she always seemed to turn the tables by only blinking. He didn't even know why he let her, but she got on his nerves more often than she should.

"So what are we eating for dinner?" she asked, trying to get a glimpse of what was hiding inside of the casserole. Her mouth was already starting to water by the smell of it. Caroline hadn't been lying when she told her that he was a great cook.

"We?" he repeated. "I'm eating a pasta carbonara, though I've no idea what you will be eating tonight," he teased, giving her one of his wicked smiles. Of course he wasn't going to admit he was actually cooking to impress her. No, he had to stay focused instead of letting his emotions do the talking. This was just a part of his plan… _Really?_ That stupid voice inside of his head kept bothering him! Of course this was just his plan, it wasn't like he really was interested in impressing her.

"Oh come on, you can't seriously expect me to believe that you're cooking an entire meal just for yourself. Besides, I really love your pasta carbonara, I think it's my new favorite dish," she told him grinning from ear to ear, hoping that her compliment would help getting her the food. It was just too delicious to pass up

"You love my pasta?" he repeated, a surprise looked across his features.

"Mhmmm," she smiled innocently looking up at him, slightly starting to pout. This was just too easy, she thought trying to hide her own amusement. His eyes hadn't left her lips for more than a second. Only a bit more of the innocent looks and doe eyes and he would be at her mercy.

"You've been at the Grill?" he asked curiously, trying not to drool when she put a freed lock of hair back behind her ear. He didn't know if she was doing any of this on purpose, but she was looking incredibly hot, making his lower body spring to life all over again.

"Three days ago with Caroline, she wanted me to taste some of your dishes. I must admit, I was surprised that everything tasted really good," she explained, looking him straight in the eye. A shiver went through her spin when his typical smirk appeared on his lips, his pupils widen. She knew she was playing a rather dangerous game by innocently flirting with her blue eyed housemate. He could be very, very bad if he wanted to be and no, she was not prepared to see the real womanizer that he kept hidden from her, cause she might fall in his claws without much effort from his side. She was totally shaken up and they hadn't even touched each other, though she was certain he was eye fucking her right now.

"Of course it's delicious, I made it," he told her, his voice barely above a whisper. The only thing that was separating them was the cooking island and her mind was going wild from thinking about all the dirty things they could do in this kitchen. She was glad he couldn't read her mind because it'd be quite embarrassing. She was sure she would pass out any minute from the tension between them if he kept staring at her like this. She wanted to leave the room and run as fast as she could, but something kept her in place. His eyes were just hypnotizing her, making it impossible for her to move even a millimeter.

"You can join me for dinner," he told her quickly, letting out a cough while he turned around to take the plates out of the cabin, breaking their spell. What the hell was he doing? He'd lost all control over his body when he started flirting back. They shouldn't be doing this. It was bad enough that he felt attracted to her, he certainly shouldn't be acting on those feelings towards her.

The rest of the night went by awfully quiet as they were both trying to figure out what exactly was happening between them. Although neither of them could find a real explanation. Maybe they shouldn't even try to explain it, maybe it was fate; after all, everything happened for a reason.

* * *

><p><strong>Hopefully you all enjoyed the chapter! Tension enough? ;)<strong>

**Next chapter's going to be a long one... **

**Please leave me a review and let me know what you think! It's very much appreciated! **

**xoxo**


	5. Mystic Falls Charity Ball

**A/N: First of, a big thank you to all you amazing reviewers! And to my wonderful beta Jamie and pre-reader Bibi of course! I love you guys! You're the reason I keep writing! **

**Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own The Vampire Diaries and I probably never will. However I consider this plotline as mine. **

* * *

><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

_**Chapter 4**_

**Mystic Falls Charity Ball**

**Day 6**

Today was the big day, her first real charity event in Mystic Falls. She was quite anxious because she didn't really know what to expect. Caroline had told her a bit about the history of the town and how everything worked, though she still didn't know much about it. The only thing she was sure of was that it was an entirely different place than where she came from. The city was always alive, there were tons of people you didn't know, while in Mystic Falls everyone knew each other.

After her rather quiet evening with Damon, she'd called Bonnie to talk about her new life, across the country. She'd been glad to finally hear her from friend again. Bonnie seemed quite happy. Her friend finally admitted that she was indeed having a relationship with Luca; they really had hit it off. Furthermore, she had never heard Bonnie happier.

Their conversation had been about Luca most of the time, but she would never forget the last words Bonnie said before she hung up the phone, "_Follow your heart, Lena. Maybe you've finally found your true home_." Had she? Had she found her true home? She had to admit, she hadn't felt this happy in quite a while. Everything seemed to be much easier in this town. She wasn't as stressed anymore and she was making friends rapidly without making a huge effort. The peacefulness of the town certainly helped her think about her real dreams and what she wanted in life.

When her mother passed away, she'd been sure she would never have a family of her own. However she finally started to realize that her life wasn't over yet. Instead of continuing to waste it, Elena realized she should be enjoying her life.

She had come to Mystic Falls to find herself and, without realizing it she was now uncovering her true identity. After merely six days, she began to enjoy herself and was beginning to write her own stories again. Her mom had always been a writer and, when she got sick, she'd told Elena to listen to her heart and write down what came to her. Elena had always loved writing because it was something she shared with her mom over the years. However, when her mom died, Elena's reasons for writing disappeared along with her. Since inspiration was gone, the only thing she wrote were articles for the paper, which lacked her usual finesse. She used to pour her heart and soul into every word, but without her mom by her side she was lost.

Yesterday, after calling Bonnie, she'd taken her notebook and started drawing shapes until she started writing words and sentences – sentences that became the first chapter of a story. A story about a young woman who had lost her way and she was trying to find the way back home.

After getting out of bed, she took a long and relaxing shower, thinking of what exactly changed. Elena questioned the explanation for her sudden change of mind. In the end, she came out blank. Besides the fact that she was finally listening to her heart, she didn't know what made her change so drastically.

At first she had been planning on only staying in Mystic Falls for a month or so, but she was starting to think of just moving for real. Besides Bonnie, there wasn't anything that kept her in the city. Her job? She could easily find a new one. She'd worked very hard over the past years, though that didn't mean she didn't miss her job. It had just been a welcomed distraction.

This place felt more like home every day so why move back to an apartment that made her feel lonely? She could search for another job; maybe, she could even start at the Mystic Falls Gazette? Caroline would be so happy to finally have someone staying in town that she'd probably make sure that they would hire her immediately. The blonde was amazing like that.

When she finished making herself ready, she walked downstairs towards the living room. A warm feeling flowed through her body when she heard noises coming from the kitchen. She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt much more comfortable around Damon. Something changed in his attitude, the entire evening before he'd been polite and friendly, no rude comments or threats anymore. It certainly had been refreshing.

After their banter and flirting at the start of the evening, he had been much quitter, though he still stayed friendly. It made her think about their current relationship and she felt like she had to try a bit harder to become his friend. He wasn't an easy person, however, he clearly showed her that he could be a decent guy too, _if_ he wanted to be that was.

Of course, she was definitely attracted to him, but she didn't want to act upon those feelings. She didn't feel ready for a relationship, certainly not with a guy that only slept with women for his own enjoyment. Damon wasn't relationship material; he couldn't stay with one girl. At least that was what Caroline had told her. Apparently, there had been this girl who broke his heart and damaged him for good. She didn't know much about it herself, but the girl had made sure that Damon wouldn't be with anyone else again.

It made Elena's heart ache that he felt that way because he certainly deserved to have a family of his own. He might be a sneaky bastard most of the time, but he did have a good heart. He surely could be a great guy; he just had to learn how to trust people instead of putting walls up around him for his own protection.

"Morning sunshine," Damon said smirking when she walked into the kitchen. He was making breakfast for the two of them. He'd heard the shower running, so decided that after she was done she'd probably be hungry. He wasn't happy with their current situation, but he could at least try to charm her into letting him stay. Being nice seemed to work a lot better and he actually enjoyed her company (though he would never admit it out loud.)

She was a lovely girl with a nice sense of humor, definitely good looking, too. He had never met someone quite like her, and even with his good intentions to stay away from women, he had to do everything possible to guard himself around her. The fact that he felt comfortable around her was alarming enough. There was just _something_ about her… he couldn't really put a name on it.

"Hi," she answered softly blushing. She still wasn't used to his new attitude, though she wasn't complaining. Luckily, Damon wasn't looking at her. He was too busy making sure that nothing would burn to see how affected she was by his charm. Her heartbeat had speed up slightly and her cheeks had reddened by the time she was sitting at the kitchen table.

"Breakfast's almost ready," he told her, while taking the last few things from the stove and putting everything on plates. This morning, he'd made scrambled eggs with bacon. Although he preferred to make something Italian, he wanted to show her he could cook other things too. That and he just loved scrambled eggs.

When he was done, he put everything on the table, sat down in front of her, and winked. Elena gave him a small smile and took a bite herself, not able to keep the moan that came from her lips when she tasted the food. It was simply delicious; she didn't know that a simple plate of scrambled eggs with bacon could be this good. She assumed it was a secret recipe. "This is really good," she told him before taking another bite.

Damon, on the other hand, was a bit distracted after seeing Elena enjoy her food like that. Her delicate moan had the ability to make his lower body come to life. When she closed her eyes in satisfaction, it took everything in his power not to growl and take her on the kitchen table. Imagines were floating through his head when he noticed that she was staring at him, apparently waiting for some kind of answer to the question she had asked. He'd been so far gone that he didn't even hear what she had been saying.

When she saw the confused look on his face, she repeated, "Are you attending the ball tonight?" She had to ask him, not able to keep her curiosity to herself. For some reason, she wanted to know if she would meet him that night. Maybe Caroline's little shopping trip was so bad after all… at least now she had a decent dress.

He smiled when he finally did hear her question, "I'm planning to," he told her, looking her straight in the eye. He wasn't used to things like this happening, but suddenly he was lost in her eyes again. He felt like he could see right through her soul which made his heart beat faster than usual. He wasn't comfortable with the control she seemed to have over him. No one ever made him feel this… vulnerable.

"Good," she answered softly, without looking away from his mesmerizing eyes. Her nervousness was suddenly gone and she wasn't afraid to look him in the eye. With his eyes piercing hers, she wondered if he felt the same connections she did.

* * *

><p>After breakfast Damon went out, apparently he had to help prepare the buffet for the ball. Ms. Lockwood didn't want anyone to be hungry or thirsty so she had made sure there were tons of food and alcohol. If something was organized in her home, Carol always made sure it was the best event ever.<p>

It was only one hour before she had to leave for the charity event and she was far from ready. She'd been busy doing her hair and make-up for quite a while now but she still wasn't content with the way it turned out. Unfortunately, she wasn't the best with a curling iron and had burnt herself several times already.

Letting out a deep breath, she decided that it wouldn't get any better so she just had to put on her clothes and choose a pair of shoes. If she didn't want to impress a _certain_ person so much, she would've worn her most comfortable sandals. But alas, he _who should not be named_ would be there and she decided on the pumps. She was going to make sure that all guys would turn around when they saw her.

It was almost time to go when she was finally done with choosing everything and putting on her accessories. Although she still had one problem left, she couldn't seem to get her dress zipped up. The zipper was stuck somewhere half-way and the thing wouldn't move a millimeter! Damn, a zipper was about to ruin her entire night! She was just about to give Caroline an emergency call when she heard noises coming from downstairs. Thinking that Stefan was home early from his business trip, she ran downstairs while holding up her dress so it wouldn't reveal too much.

"Damon," she breathed in surprise when she came face to face with her blue eyed house mate. She was so not expecting him to be the one that arrived at the boarding house! He was still wearing his cooking outfit so he probably came home to change clothes. Normally she wouldn't have mind, but in her clumsy mood, half zipped up, she felt less okay about it. First the stupid curling iron, now the dress!

When Damon walked into the living room, the last thing he expected to find was a half-naked Elena running through the house. His body immediately reacted to the beauty in front of him. Her hair was curly and the short (half zipped) dress didn't cover a lot of her body. He never thought that he would see the day that she was wearing a dress and high heels. The only time he'd seen her in something other than a jeans was a day earlier when she was wearing a skirt.

"Could you help me out a bit?" she asked shyly, her cheeks flushed red. Oh god, this was so embarrassing. Why oh why, did he have to be the one that came home? Why couldn't it just be Stefan? At least then she would've felt less shaky… only thinking of _him _touching her bare back was enough to make her entire body shiver.

A smile appeared on his lips when he heard her question. He couldn't wait to finally touch her, to feel her soft skin against his fingertips. He never thought they would get along so easily after the way they started off though he was glad she didn't seem to hold a grudge after the way he acted. He had been such a fool to act like a dick towards her; he should've known that it wouldn't have worked out.

Taking a step closer, he slowly started to pull at the zipper. At first, the thing wouldn't budge, but after a while it started to move in the right direction and he could easily zip her up. Every time his fingers brushed against her skin, she could feel the spot burning, her blood boiling inside of her body. The effect his body seemed to have on hers was unbelievably strong and she didn't think she'd ever felt it react that way to anyone. It seemed to have will of its own because after he was done with the zipper, she leaned in a bit closer until her back melted into his chest. Their bodies fit against each other perfectly.

She didn't really know what she was doing but when she felt Damon's arms wrap around her, she knew it had been a good decision. He wasn't pushing her away, nor was he commenting on her strange new attitude towards him. When she was standing in his arms, she totally lost track of time, so she had no idea how long they had been standing there in the middle of the living room before he finally pulled away.

He didn't say a word, just started heading upstairs to take a shower and honestly, she was glad he didn't comment. She wouldn't have known how to explain her sudden need to touch him. All she knew was that her body desired it, yearned for it. Her brain didn't seem to work anymore, her heart was doing all the talking and the realization came as more of a surprise than it should have. She should've listened to her heart sooner, though she didn't like the direction of her heart very much. It was dangerous to hang out with Damon Salvatore; she had to keep her guard up if she didn't want to be badly hurt.

She quickly took her purse and decided to leave the house as soon as possible before she would be confronted with the elder Salvatore again. She couldn't face him right now, she didn't know what to do anymore… she wanted him, but she didn't really want him… how confusing. She didn't know who she had to follow, her heart or her mind?

She wished that she could talk about it with Caroline, but she knew the blonde would take sides. She'd seen right through her cupid act. Of course Caroline wanted them to be together; she wanted Elena to stay and Damon to be happy. For them to be together would be the perfect solution. Although she thought it was cute of Caroline to want to help her friends out, it was also quite annoying.

* * *

><p>She arrived at the ball ten minutes late and tried to hide her nervousness when she walked in. As to be expected, all looks were immediately focused on her and she could feel the blood rising to her cheeks. She wished this evening was over already, she hated to be the center of attention. No one ever paid attention to her back in San Francisco and, honestly, she didn't really mind. At least then she felt comfortable - right now she was nervous as hell.<p>

Luckily for her, Rebecca immediately recognized her from when she'd spent time with Caroline at the Grill and the woman came towards her to say hello. "Hi!" she smiled happily. "You're Elena right? Caroline's friend?" the girl questioned.

"Hi, that's right. And you are Caroline's niece, the one with the crush?" Elena smirked, almost letting out a giggle when the girl's face turned completely pink. Of course she hadn't forgotten about her friends comment when they went out for dinner.

"Yeah, that's me, but don't tell anyone! I would be so embarrassed," she answered softly. She couldn't believe the woman still remembered who she had a crush on. Damn her cousin! Caroline really should learn to keep her big mouth shut because if she didn't, the entire town would know about her little secret.

"Don't worry, my lips are sealed," Elena smiled back, secretly enjoying the girl's embarrassment. It was so funny to see that the blonde had a major crush on her housemate. Maybe she should help her out a little, at least that way she would be able to stay away from Damon herself. "He'll be here tonight," she added, making the girl grin like an idiot.

She knew it was wrong to be jealous, but she couldn't help the feeling. She hadn't realized until then, just how attracted she was to him. She already started to feel a lot more for him than just friendship… which was exactly what she was trying to prevent.

Before she could really start a conversation with the girl, a stranger interrupted them, "Hi, I'm Tyler Lockwood, Carol's son. You're the new girl my mom was talking about, right?" he said, winking at her. He was a handsome guy, wearing a nice black suit. She must admit, she was quite flattered when the guy smiled at her. She could immediately see he was attracted to her by the way he kept looking at her like she was some kind of goddess. It made her feel a bit uncomfortable, though she didn't show it. He was shamelessly flirting with her, totally ignoring Rebecca, which was probably the thing that annoyed her the most. She quickly told him her name and hoped that he would leave, though it wasn't her lucky day.

"You look very beautiful tonight, Elena," he told her, his voice a bit lower than before, while his hand found its way to her back. She carefully shrugged it off, trying to be as polite as possible after his obtrusive behavior. He was a typical womanizer, but she wasn't that kind of girl. She wouldn't let him charm her so he could take advantage of her. She'd seen enough girls in her life that were fooled by the compliments of these men to let herself get carried away. She wasn't naïve enough to believe he actually had feelings for her.

"Thank you," she answered nevertheless, giving him the best fake smile she could muster. "Do you perhaps know where I can find Caroline?" At least with the blond at her side she would be safe from idiots like him.

"She's in the garden, probably talking to the band that will play this evening," he answered, his smile falling when he noticed that she wasn't interested.

"I'll go look for her. It was nice meeting you, Tyler," she said politely, not daring to tell him the truth. That would've been rude considering that he was the mayor's son. She should be careful who she got on her bad side. You never knew when it could be helpful to be friends with someone, socializing was always important, especially when you are a journalist.

She didn't give Tyler a chance to answer and left quickly, hoping to find Caroline as soon as possible. While she was walking through the crowd, she recognized a few familiar faces, though she didn't take the time to talk to any of them. The only one she truly knew at this party was Caroline and of course she had to be the one that was un-findable. She knew it must look pretty unfriendly not to talk to the few acquaintances she'd made during her short trip, though she didn't care. She wasn't here to befriend everyone, only to make _her friend_ happy.

After what seemed like hours she finally saw the blonde. She was talking to a group of guys and Elena didn't dare to interrupt. However Caroline had seen her and started waving her over to come. Soon, she realized they were the band members Tyler was talking about and her friend introduced them. "It's nice to meet you all," she said in the end, looking around shyly when she realized the men were staring at her. She couldn't believe she was being such a prude. It had been a while since the last time she'd blushed this much, but then again, she'd never gotten this much attention either. It must be the dress!

"So how are you enjoying the party?" Caroline asked her smiling when they were alone. She had been so busy making sure everything went according to plan that she hadn't even thought of the fact that Elena might be there already. To be honest, she felt bad now because she was the one that convinced the brunette to go to the charity event.

"It's okay," she said honestly. She hadn't taken the time to enjoy anything so far since she was busy searching for her friend. The entire time she had been there she hadn't even looked around, so it wasn't until then that she saw how beautiful the garden actually looked. Caroline had done an amazing job and, apparently, she wasn't alone in her thinking. The majority of the guests were in the garden rather than the ballroom.

"Let's get you a drink, I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself much better with a little alcohol in your blood," the blonde woman smiled, dragging her towards the bar. Elena didn't even have time to argue before Caroline dropped a tequila shot in her hand. "This should do the trick," her friend smiled before gulping down an entire shot.

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><p>Somewhere along the way, Elena decided to follow Caroline's lead, and an hour or so later, she was dancing around on the dance floor with her friend, not caring about anything or anyone. The alcohol had certainly helped her loosen up a bit. Tyler noticed, too, cause he showed up out of nowhere and started to dance with them.<p>

If she had been sober, she'd probably have pushed him away, though at the moment, she didn't mind that much anymore. She still knew what she was doing, though everything seemed to be much more fun. She was so busy enjoying herself that she hadn't even noticed Damon walking in with a dark look across his face.

After his little confrontation with Elena a few hours before, he just couldn't stay away from the ball. He just had to see her. Even if he only got one dance with her, he'd try to get the most out of it. She just kept haunting him; images of her came across his mind more frequently than ever before. He didn't know what it was between them, but he was sure she could set a room on fire by only smiling. The pull he felt towards her was so strong that he had to act upon it. He couldn't stay away from her forever, certainly not after he'd seen how beautiful she actually was. He had never taken the time to truly look at her, watch her from head to toe, but in her fancy dress… he just hadn't been able to help himself.

So when he walked in, he'd immediately started to look for her, hoping she still wanted to be friends with him. Only to get very, very, angry when he saw her dancing with that idiotic Lockwood guy. His hands were all over her, their sweaty bodies sliding against each other on the beats of the music. If she had been any other girl, he'd have gladly enjoyed the show, but she was Elena. He wanted her, so be damned if anyone put their fucking hands on her.

Wait, what? Since when did he take such a huge interest in her? _Oh please Salvatore_, don't fool yourself, of course you've taken an interest in her. Why else would you be so friendly and nice to her while she's still trying to get you out of her house? He was turning in such a sap. Instead of treating her like dirt – the way he acted the first few days – he started to be nice in order to get her to like him. That worked out well. She was already dancing with another freaking idiot.

He rolled his eyes. How the hell could he have been so stupid to let a girl get to him, again? He knew from the minute he saw her that she was dangerous for his heart. He really should learn from his mistakes instead of making them over and over again. At least, by hanging out with Andie, he was sure that no strings or feelings were attached.

"Hi honey," a voice purred in his ear. He was surprised to see one of his former 'girlfriends' standing beside him with a daring look across her face. Well, maybe this evening was not so bad after all. He could at least try to have some fun.

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><p>It was already far past midnight when Elena finally sat down. Her feet were hurting like hell though she wouldn't admit it. After dancing with Tyler for a bit she decided she had enough and walked towards the bar to get another tequila shot. It was then that she'd seen Damon. He had been flirting with a redhead and only a few minutes later they had disappeared out of her sight.<p>

She'd tried not to think about it, but she couldn't deny the fact that she had been jealous. He'd rather have sex with some stranger than flirt with her. He was probably still mad because she wanted to throw him out. Maybe it was better this way, they wouldn't have worked anyways.

At the moment, she was feeling rather dizzy. Apparently she had been drinking much more than she first thought and she could already feel a headache coming up. Damn it, how could she be so stupid? She should've known it wasn't a good idea to start drinking, certainly not when there was tequila involved. She always seemed to drink a lot more than she was planning to.

"Elena are you okay?" her friend asked when she saw Elena sitting on the floor of the kitchen. Thankfully, she hadn't done anything too stupid at the party. Instead, she'd left the main ballroom and searched for a place where no one would see her. For god's sake, how old are you? Why do you drink so much when you know you can't handle it? She asked herself, though she knew very well what or better yet _who_, was the cause of her drinking problem.

"Not really," she answered softly, closing her eyes. The light of the room was just too bright for her eyes to take.

Caroline looked at her regretfully. She shouldn't have pushed Elena to drink so many tequila shots. "Don't worry, you'll be fine," she told her calmly, searching for an aspirin. When she finally found what she was looking for, she gave Elena the tablet and a bottle of water.

When she was sure Elena wouldn't get any sicker, she went out of the room to search for Damon. She hadn't seen him all night though she was sure he had to be somewhere. He'd promised her that he'd come to the party and he always kept his promises. After a moment, she heard strange sounds coming from upstairs...someone was definitely having fun in the guestrooms, she thought with a smile. Although, her smile fell when she heard a woman's voice cry out _Damon's name _as she climaxed_. _Caroline was sure that the entire ball room must have heard them.

Great, just awesome. He hadn't had an affair for quite a while now, but just when she needed his help he was having sex with some kind of slut. It was so typical! Although she wondered why he suddenly started his old habits again. She thought he was finally growing up – well he certainly had proven her wrong tonight.

A few minutes later he descended the stairs, a wicked grin across his face, his hair still mixed up. She shook her head when he walked pass her, "You'll never learn, will you?" she asked him, the disappointment clear in her voice.

"I was just having fun. No need to be lectured," he told her annoyed. Couldn't anything go right today? He really didn't need another discussion with his future sister-in-law.

"I really don't have time for this," she told him sharply. "I need your help in the kitchen," she added before starting to walk away. He immediately followed her as she expected him to.

"Having cooking issues so late at night?" he joked, not really understanding what Caroline meant. Why the hell did she need his help?

"No, Elena's sick and I need you to take her home," she told him, making him abruptly stop. Letting out a sigh, she turned around to see why he had stopped. A shocked look was across his face.

"What do you mean I've got to take her home?" he asked dumbfounded. So that was the reason why she had been dancing with the Lockwood guy, she had been drunk. And now she was sick…how nice.

"I have to stay here to clean up for at least another four hours; I can't let her sit there on the floor. I know you're still sober enough to drive so I'm asking you to take her home," she explained. "She's really not feeling well and it's entirely my fault, I was the one who pushed her to do tequila shots." You could clearly see the regret on Caroline's face; she would never forgive herself if anything happened to Elena because she had given her too much to drink.

"She's an adult. If she didn't want to drink she could've stopped herself," he told her, making her feel better instantly. "But, I'll take her home." What else could he do? Leave her here with a worried sick, stressed bimbo beside her? Not a good idea.

Following Caroline, he walked towards the kitchen where Elena was lying on the floor unconscious. She must have fallen asleep while Caroline was gone and only now he realized how serious her situation was. She looked wreaked, the color drained out of her face, her make up smeared across her features. He instantly felt bad for not immediately listening to the blonde and helping out Elena. Whatever happened a few hours ago proved that she clearly could use some help at the moment and he would be a jerk not to take care of her. She couldn't know he had feelings for her, it wasn't like they were in a relationship. If she wanted to date other guys, why couldn't she? He had no right to be jealous.

Without another word, he picked her up from the floor and took her in his arms, carrying her towards his car. He didn't say anything when he saw the surprised look on Caroline's face. He didn't want to think about it too much himself. He just had to make sure she would get home safe and sound. He still had to explain that he wasn't planning on being an asshole anymore. Instead, he just wanted to be friends with the girl in his arms. Even if that would mean that he had to search for another place.

When they got home fifteen minutes later, he easily picked her up again and carried her towards her bedroom. He laid her down on the bed, quickly searching a few painkillers and preparing a glass of water that he put down on her bedside table for when she would wake up. He knew how bad you could feel after being wasted; he'd been there far too often for his own taste. The morning after was always the worst.

Not thinking twice about what the hell he was doing, he started to take off her high heels and unzipped her red dress. He just wanted her to lay comfortably, not really thinking of the fact that she wore nothing but a pair of panties underneath it. Damn, he was not prepared to find such a beauty underneath the clothing and he quickly searched for a shirt so she wouldn't be too exposed. His eyes lingered for just a second longer than was allowed for friends.

He had to do everything in his power not to ogle her perfect olive skin, her full breasts, her… fucking hell, stay focused! After putting on the shirt, he helped her to get under the covers so she wouldn't get cold at night and tried not to think about her perfect sculptured body. The sinful things he could do to her would probably keep him awake all night. There goes his peaceful night rest; he could only hope that he'd feel better after taking an awfully long, cold shower.

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><p><strong>I loved writing this chapter! I just hope you all liked reading it too! ;)<strong>

**Please feed my muse and let me know what you think!**

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	6. The Morning After

**A/N: Thank you for all those wonderful comments, guys! It's very much appreciated! And as always, a big thank you to Jamie and Bibi for beta reading the chapter, I wouldn't know what to do without them! ;) **

**Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own The Vampire Diaries. Otherwise the last episode would've been entirely different. Anyone else that was disappointed?**

**Anyway, here's the chapter, I hope you'll all like it!**

* * *

><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

_**Chapter 5**_

**The Morning After**

**Day 7**

The following morning_,_ Elena couldn't seem to open her eyes. Everything hurt and she felt like she'd just been hit by a truck. Her head was spinning and she had to jump out of bed to make sure she wouldn't puke before she'd reached the toilet. How the hell could she have been so irresponsible and stupid? In all of her twenty-five years, she'd never been sick after drinking too much. She'd always behaved like a real adult and tried to moderate her drinking. She could count on one hand how many glasses of alcohol she consumed in the last year; when she did drink, it usually was a glass of wine during dinner.

After she had emptied her stomach, she quickly ran back to her bedroom, crawled under the covers, and closed her eyes before sighing deeply. What had she been thinking? It was unbelievable; she couldn't even remember how she ended up in bed. The last memory she had was sitting in the kitchen of the Lockwood mansion. Although it was a burry memory, it was better than the blackness that followed.

She didn't think she would ever act this way again. Being carefree wasn't worth it. She was always buttoned-up, full of stress, and closed off to other people. Then again, she'd never felt this jealous before either. Did she have real feelings for Damon Salvatore? Of course she cared for him. The past days they'd become friends rather quickly, something she thought was impossible.

She probably had been single for too long so her feelings were just mixed up. Besides, how can you fall in love with someone you don't really know? She met Damon only a week ago, she couldn't possible have feelings that strong already. She was just attracted to him and after staying alone for so long she was kind of horny. _Yeah right, keep lying to yourself_, the irritating voice told her once again. She really didn't know where it came from but she was getting sick and tired of it already.

Her headache grew stronger and just when she was going to get up, she saw a glass of water and an aspirin lying on her bedside table. She looked at it suspiciously, trying to process her thoughts. Did Damon take care of her the day before? It must be because she had been so far gone she probably didn't even know how to find her own house. At least that explained how she ended up in her bed safe and sound.

A warm feeling rushed through her veins; he had taken care of her! It wasn't the first time he did something nice for her, though it felt kind of special somehow. Who would have thought Damon could be a sweet person, too? Certainly when she'd first met him, she had been so convinced he was a first class jackass. Well, it only proved that a first impression isn't always the right one.

She carefully took the glass of water from the bedside table, her hands still slightly shaking after she had thrown up, and swallowed the aspirin, taking a big gulp from the water. Her throat was burning and she was glad to have something to drink, because she would never have been able to get downstairs on her own.

At least now she knew why she never drank more than a few glasses. She sure as hell would never try this again! When Caroline had handed her the tequila shot, she'd known all along that it would be a bad idea to start drinking something so strong; she was kind of a light weight. She really didn't understand how people could drink so much knowing they would feel terrible in the morning.

Just when she wanted to close her eyes again and sleep for another few hours, she heard someone knock on her door. She tried to say 'come in' however, nothing but a whisper left her lips. She just couldn't seem to utter a word, everything got stuck in her throat. Luckily, the person outside the door seemed to have heard her and the door opened, revealing a freshly showered Damon. He looked even more handsome than usual. He took her breath away by just standing at her door.

"Morning Sunshine," he said smiling, walking inside before properly looking at her. She looked awful. Her normally olive skin had turned pale, her hair was all messy and her eyes looked puffy. Nevertheless, he still thought she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes on. Cheesy as it may be, he hadn't met anyone quite as perfect as her. "You don't look so good," he told her, choosing his words carefully.

"I don't feel so good either," she answered him honestly. Why hide the truth? It was obvious that she had a massive hangover; she hadn't looked at her image in the mirror but she could predict how terrible she must look. Everything hurt and she felt like she was dying inside. Of course she didn't look good.

He gave her an understanding look, knowing how bad you could feel after being drunk as a skunk… it had happened to him more than he cared to admit. He just loved to get wasted, especially when it washed away his sorrows. However, it never helped. Instead, it just made him feel even more terrible. "I brought you some food," he told her and before she could protest, he added: "I know you don't feel hungry, but you have to eat something. Otherwise you'll only start to feel worse. It's just a toast, don't worry."

She looked up at him, slightly pouting. Today she was in no mood to listen to someone, even if they just wanted to help her out. She was in one of her stubborn moods. If she wasn't hungry, then she wouldn't eat. She was too afraid that she would have to throw up again.

He smirked when her lips curled into a pout. She was just too adorable. How on earth could he concentrate and focus when she was looking so cute? All he wanted to do was jump under the covers with her and ravish her body, mind, and soul; make her scream his name so loudly that the entire village would know to whom she belonged to. They would be so perfect together. If she only would understand just what she did to him. Every single move she made, every sound that left her lips, it all affected him to the core.

"No need to start pouting, princess. It won't work on me. I'm immune to your charm," he lied through his teeth.

She just rolled her eyes at his comment, accepting her defeat and taking a bite from the toast. It surprised her that he had convinced her so quickly because she usually wasn't one to give up. It was probably because _she _was _not_ immune to his charm, not even a little bit.

After she was done with her toast, she lay down again and covered her face with her pillow. Damn, she felt terrible. She just was kind of over-sensitive. She was a baby when it came to handling pain, emotional of physical. Her emotional pain was enough of a burden to live with.

Damon looked at her in amusement when she started hiding behind her pillow. Seeing her like this, he guessed it was one of her first times being that sick from drinking. He had always expected her to be the responsible kind of person. A woman able to enjoy her life without feeling the need to get drunk. She was a true example for other people, though somewhere last night she'd changed her mind (probably influenced by Caroline) and got a little carried away.

"You really should get up. Lying here will only make you feel more horrible," he told her knowingly. After a million hangovers, he knew pretty well what would help and what would hurt. Although the last thing that you wanted to do would be get up and inhale fresh air, staying in bed was the worst thing for you.

Deciding that he would make the decision for her, he ran towards the bathroom and started to fill the tub. Without showing any compassion to a lifeless Elena, he pulled the sheets from her body, making her yelp in annoyance. "Oh no you didn't!" she yelled. "Give them back!"

Laughing, he took a step back so she had to get up before she could get her blanket back. Being difficult, she tried to attack him, but she ended up stumbling backwards and falling on the soft mattress. Damon laughed even harder. She let out another sigh while she tried to get up again, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. If she only could slap him hard in the face… it would be such a relief! He deserved some pain after irritating a sick girl like that. How horrible of him!

"Instead of using all your energy to get your sheets back, you should take a bath. The tub is almost full and no offense, but you could use a bath. You stink!" he said as seriously as he could muster. However, he started to laugh uncontrollably when he saw the horrific look on her face. It was too easy to predict her reaction.

"I do not," she fired back, feigning hurt, before starting to laugh with him. She didn't know how much time passed before she finally could breathe normally again, her belly hurt from laughing so hard. They were both trying to calm down, though they failed more than once and started laughing again.

"Actually you do," he said smirking when he was finally done laughing. He helped her stand up and get out of bed since her legs still felt like jello. She was grateful he helped her out, because she wouldn't know what to do without him. She was so busy enjoying his presence that she had completely forgotten about the girl he had been with the other day. She was just happy that he was here with her instead of with some slut.

"Are you going to be okay?" he questioned when she finally stood on her own legs without needing his support. "I'm always up for washing your back if you need me," he winked, smiling wickedly.

She had to take a quick gulp, pressing her lips closely together before she would answer something stupid like: I'd love that. Dirty imagines started to flash before her eyes and she quickly started walking towards the bathroom, uttering an 'I'll be fine' and leaving him alone in the bedroom. Damn her hormones, damn it all. She was so close to revealing her true feelings for him. Their attraction was killing her and she didn't know what to do anymore. Her panties were soaked through only from thinking about what he could do to her. What the hell would happen if she actually let him have his way with her? It would be catastrophic, she was sure of it. He would probably ruin her for every other man because, according to all the gossip she'd heard about him, she was sure he had to be skilled.

Letting out a breath she didn't know she had been holding back, she walked towards the bathtub, slowly undoing her clothes before stepping in the warm and relaxing water. "Yes." she whispered, secretly wishing she accepted his offer.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 9<strong>

Two days later, she was sitting in the Mystic Grill with her friend Caroline. They had arranged a meeting because the blonde had something important to ask. Elena had no idea what the hell it could be. Caroline gave herself away rather quickly when she started squealing when Elena accepted her offer.

The Grill was quite crowded today, there had only been two tables left when she arrived which surprised her. The last time she was here the place wasn't even half as full, though it must be because the theme of the night was Italian. Every month they had one theme evening and, according to Stefan, it always was a huge success.

Earlier that day, Elena had a surprisingly interesting conversation with the younger Salvatore brother. Stefan was a much more open person than his brother and he'd told her stories of his past (after they left their father's house) with a bright smile on his lips. He had come home after the Mystic Falls Charity event in a very good mood, he apparently solved the problems with his client in New York and now the younger brother was happier than ever.

It had been a relief to Elena that he came home; at least he seemed to ease the tension between Damon and her when he was around. Although he was kind of blind, he was totally in the dark about the attraction between his brother and her. It wasn't so bad, because she would've been embarrassed if he knew she actually liked Damon considering the fact he had been such a pain in the ass the first couple days when Stefan was still around.

After another ten minutes, she watched her clock impatiently. Where the hell was Caroline? She was supposed to be here twenty minutes ago! Just when she wanted to get up and leave, the blond came walking in with an apologetic look across her face. "I'm so sorry, Lena," she immediately exclaimed when she sat down, honestly feeling bad about letting her friend wait so long. "Stefan and I completely lost track of time," she added, looking down embarrassed.

Elena had to do everything in her power not to start laughing, Caroline looked so cute like that. Of course they lost track of time after being apart for a few days… they had a lot of catching up to do. "Don't worry. As long as you enjoyed yourself," she winked, making her friend only blush even harder.

"I did," the blonde mused, before covering her face in her hands. She couldn't believe she just said that out loud. For god's sake, get a grip, she scolded herself. After being separated from her boyfriend she just needed some time to welcome him back home.

"So why did you ask me to meet?" Elena asked, immediately getting straight to the point. She didn't like _not_ knowing what to expect – she was kind of a control freak. And the better she got to know Caroline, the more she was certain that the woman always had a hidden agenda. Her friend always made plans behind her back – though she always meant it well – in order to achieve _something_. The only thing Elena had to do was figure out what exactly was going on (though it wasn't easy to understand Caroline's way of thinking). The woman could be sneaky if she wanted to be.

"I need you to participate in the next Mystic Falls event," she answered honestly, though not giving any details away, which alerted Elena that there had to be a catch. Otherwise Caroline would've just casually asked her to join the next event on the phone instead of arranging a meeting. It was just too easy to be the entire truth.

"What's the next event?" Elena questioned curiously. Maybe she was just delusional, maybe her friend was just being nice. Although it seemed like she was up to something, Elena often made the wrong presumptions. Her mind was still processing the fact that everyone was so polite and sweet to her.

"The Annual Blind Date night," the blond said, but before she could explain a thing Elena interrupted her. "No way in hell, over my death body!" she exclaimed, getting strange looks from people sitting close around them.

"Jesus, at least let me explain what it's all about," her friend answered annoyed. Although Elena had heard more than enough, she wouldn't go on a date with a stranger, not even if they gave her a million dollars! She was done dating. The entire idea behind coming to Mystic Falls was to relax and find herself again. She wasn't ready to be in a relationship and she didn't casually date people, she wasn't that kind of girl.

"I won't participate and that's final," Elena answered once again. Caroline could explain as much as she wanted to, but she wasn't going to agree. Even her puppy dog eyes wouldn't help, the woman would have to do a lot more than that.

"You're so exaggerating this, Lena, please. Each year there's a blind date night for all the single people in Mystic Falls. Many couples meet through this event and are very grateful that it exists. It's very simple, all the names are collected in two jars, one for the men and one for the women. Then an innocent person – me – gets to grab a name out of each jar and those two people will have a date that night. It's super funny and even if you don't like your date, it's just for one night, Elena. Come on!" she explained, trying to convince the brunette that it was a good idea to participate. "You never know what might happen!"

That's just the problem, Elena thought anxiously. You couldn't prepare yourself because you had no idea who'd be your date for the evening. What if some ugly nerd would be her date or worse, an old, gray haired creep? Only thinking of what could go wrong was enough to get her scared to death.

On the other hand, she might finally meet Mr. Right or at least have a lovely night with a nice guy. It certainly would be adventurous and Bonnie wouldn't be able to tell her anymore to push her limits. Because honestly, she could use some adventure in her life after being only half alive for the past years. She had to get over the death of her family members and start enjoying her life again. Life was too short already as it was.

It could be just what she needed, though it also could be a mistake. You never know what's the right choice… decisions, decisions!

"Wow, I'm good. You're actually considering participating?" Caroline suddenly said, bringing her back from her inner struggle. She smiled up at her friend, indeed considering the fact that she might accept the offer. It could end either bad or good, she'd never know if she was making the right decision until she gave it a try.

"I'm in on one condition," she answered eventually, after a few minutes of consideration. "If I'm going to participate, you're going to ask Stefan to take your relationship to the next level and live together as a real couple," she proposed. At least if her date would be a major failure, she'd made sure her friends were both happy. She knew they needed a push; they were both too afraid to talk about the future. It was entirely ridiculous of course, since they were the perfect couple.

Caroline stared at her surprised, she wasn't expecting that one. Although, she knew where her friend was coming from. The past few months she'd often thought about asking Stefan to move in, though she'd been too afraid that he'd refuse her suggestion. They had talked about living in the boarding house together, though Stefan never actually asked her to come live with him. "I can't, he doesn't have a home and my place is too small," she answered honestly. If it had been an option, maybe she would've accepted Elena's offer, though it was simply impossible.

"What if I told you I'm planning on letting them stay?" Elena suddenly answered, finally saying out loud what she had been thinking for the past days. After realizing she actually liked living together with other people, she'd been thinking of offering to let them stay. That is, of course, if they still wanted to live with her.

"Are you serious?" the blonde asked confused. Did she really just hear that or was she starting to day dream?

"I'm serious. The house is big enough for more than one family and I actually like having housemates," she told her friend honestly. She didn't know what she would do if she was all alone in the boarding house. She actually liked the company of both the Salvatore brothers. They made her feel more alive than she had in many, many years… or at least one of them did.

"Okay," Caroline answered finally, taking a deep breath.

"Okay?" Elena repeated, not understanding what her friend meant. 'Okay I understand what you mean' or 'okay I believe you'?

"Okay I accept your deal," the woman explained, smiling broadly for the first time that night. She couldn't believe it. Elena was letting the brothers stay and now there was a big chance that she would live with them? Wow. Just wow.

"Well, than that's settled," the brunette said, smiling herself. She was taking a huge risk, though seeing how happy it made Caroline, she gladly accepted the dangerous offer. Letting the brothers stay was probably for the best and it would make her feel less guilty. She would make a ton of people happy and she wouldn't be all alone in that big house. Why the hell didn't she make that decision sooner?

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. Now show me some love people and review!<strong>

**Btw. Are you all liking Caroline's plan? I wonder how innocent she will be when she has to grab a name out of each jar...**

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	7. Match Maker

**A/N: Thanks for the amazing reviews! Some of you really made me smile! ;) And as always, a big thank you to Bibi and Jamie for beta reading the chapter! I love you, girls!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own The Vampire Diaries.**

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

_**Chapter 6**_

**Match Maker**

**Day 14: Part one**

It was still early in the morning when Elena got up; she could've stayed in bed for much longer, but her nerves were keeping her wide awake. Today was the 'Annual Blind Date' evening and she was going insane. Already, she regretted her decision to accept Caroline's offer and participate. Why again was she doing this to herself? She would get a heart attack if her heartbeat didn't calm down soon. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this anxious.

She had spent the past days working on a few articles for the local tabloid (Caroline had asked her if she wanted to participate). It had gone really well and she started to question why she was still staying here without a real job. Ms. Lockwood had informed her that she could get a job at the Mystic Falls Gazette without a problem. Why didn't she take this huge opportunity and see what would happen? Probably because she was afraid, afraid of what the future would hold if she stayed in town.

What would happen to Bonnie? They had been friends for years, never apart for more than a week. What would she do if she knew that Elena would stay in Mystic Falls? She didn't want to disappoint her friend; she loved the woman too much to do so.

Her phone started buzzing and she quickly opened the text message she received from her notary. Apparently, he had found a few things about the Salvatore brothers and his secretary sent her an email. While reading the message, she felt herself grow nervous. What did the man find out? Only one way to know for sure, she thought, taking her laptop from the desk on the left side of the room. Shortly after her arrival she'd bought a desk to put in her bedroom so she could do her work upstairs instead of in the study. It was much quieter here and the peace helped her to work faster.

She let out a sigh while waiting for the computer to start up; she had a habit of getting impatient while waiting for her start screen to appear. After a full two minutes, she could finally open her internet explorer and search for her emails. The mail account opened and she saw she received three emails, one from her ex-boss Marc, one from Bonnie and finally… the one from her notary James.

Taking a deep breath she opened the email, anxiously waiting to read her notary's notes.

_Dear Ms. Gilbert,_

_Here are the findings Mr. Howard made while he completed your task. _

_First off, about the __mansion in Mystic Falls, there were a few envelops with money at Mr. Jonathan Gilbert's residence. These included the exact amount of money the brothers claimed to pay Mr. Gilbert every month. The brothers may have been telling the truth. However, there were no legal documents that confirm these assumptions. _

_Secondly, Mr. Gilbert was indeed living across the country. He met a divorced woman a few years ago and decided to move in with her when they started a relationship, though they never got married. According to the close friends of Mr. Gilbert, he was quite fond of her. However, they never made their relationship official. She stayed with him until he passed away, but no one has heard from her since. She could've left the country ,but there's no real evidence._

_The money that was found inside the envelops will be sent to your new address along with the other belongings Mr. Gilbert left in the house he shared with Isobel Flemings. _

_Regards,_

_Denise Jordan, secretary of notary James Howard. _

A smile appeared on her face when she finished reading the email. Her premonition had been confirmed, the Salvatore brothers did tell her the truth about sending envelops to her uncle. Although, she was quite surprised when she read the man did have a relationship with someone before he passed away. Since he wasn't married and didn't have any children, she thought he would have been single. Apparently she had been wrong, though she wondered where the hell this woman was.

Putting her laptop back on the desk, she started pacing through the room while trying to decide what she would do next. She still had an entire day to get through before she would have to leave for her 'blind' date. Truth been told, she didn't think she would feel this nervous for a date. When Bonnie set her up on dates, she usually didn't know who she was going on a date with either. Although that was different, she trusted her friend to make the right decision. What she didn't trust was Caroline's innocent hand that would grab two names out of the jars.

She walked back to her desk and opened the remaining emails. The first one came from Bonnie. Apparently, she had made progress on her research in the hospital and got a raise. Also her relationship with Luca was getting serious and they were talking about moving in together. Bonnie wanted to know if Elena had a problem with the fact that Luca would share the apartment with them.

The question made Elena realize that she still had to tell her friend about staying in Mystic Falls. She couldn't keep lying to Bonnie about her plans for the future. The woman had the right to know that her best friend wasn't coming back home. Although Elena felt quite bad about it, she knew it was for the best. She couldn't go back to her old life anymore because it would only make her sad.

She was slowly rebuilding her life after realizing she hadn't moved on from the death of her mother. Instead, she had tried to forget about the past while, in turn, she became a ghost of her former life. Here in Mystic Falls was she finally finding herself again and starting to have new dreams.

She'd always wanted to become a writer so she started writing her own novel. She had never wanted to live in an apartment in a crowded city; she liked the peace of a village much more. Another dream came true. Conclusion, she couldn't go back to her old, silly life.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the next email. Her boss, Marc, wanted to know if she was planning on coming back since he found a young, talented girl that was searching for a job. She would be the perfect candidate to replace Elena, but Marc didn't want to give the girl the job if Elena was still planning on working for the paper.

The brunette quickly sent a mail back telling her previous boss that she wasn't planning on coming back any time soon. The young girl deserved to get an honest chance at making a career, the opportunity to start something beautiful. Elena wouldn't make it hard for her.

After writing ten emails to Bonnie and deleting all of them, she decided that she would call her friend at night. She couldn't seem to find the right words to explain what was going on in her head.

* * *

><p>Three coffees later, she still felt as anxious as before, if not worse. She didn't know why, but she just had a feeling that something would go wrong on her date. She couldn't seem to get the thought out of her head and it was slowly driving her crazy. The last time she felt this way was eight years ago when her mom passed away.<p>

When her cup was empty once again, she stood up and walked towards the coffee machine to make another one. She let out a curse when she realized that the box with coffee pads was empty. Damn, she forgot to buy the pads when she went grocery shopping! She should make a list of all the things she needed the next time. Back in San Francisco, Bonnie was always the one that went shopping since she truly enjoyed it while Elena hated grocery shopping.

"Couldn't sleep?" she heard someone ask from behind her. When she turned around, she stood face to face with a smirking Damon. He was clearly in a good mood and probably couldn't wait to start firing his snarky comments at her.

"Not really," she admitted softly, cursing herself for making so much noise. He probably heard her when she got up at five in the morning. After she'd checked her emails, she'd taken a long and relaxing bath (though the relaxed feeling didn't last very long). When she was done getting ready, she decided that she could use a coffee even though the caffeine only made her feel worse

"If you're lucky, Stefan usually hides his coffee pads so he never runs out of coffee. You should check the cabin on your left," he told her, pointing at it. Nodding her head, she opened the cabinet and searched for the pads. He seemed to know his brother very well because, in a matter of seconds, she found what she was looking for.

She turned around again and smiled, thanking him softly before starting the machine. While Damon sat down at the kitchen table, she made two coffees and handed him a cup once she was done. He smiled back at her before taking a sip of the hot liquid.

They drank their coffee in silence, both clearly much more at ease around each other than only a few days ago. Elena had tried to get to know him a little better, though she found out that Damon was very tight-lipped when she asked him personal questions. He usually avoided the question or didn't even bother to answer it at all. She guessed that he wasn't really used to opening up to people, because no one seemed to know the real Damon Salvatore. She, for one, was very curious as for who he really was

"My notary has sent me an email, you were indeed right about the envelops," she told him after a while, trying to have a normal conversation. She expected him to answer something like 'Told you so', but he was awfully quiet.

"That's good," was his answer instead. He didn't even look up at her, he just kept staring outside through the window. She realized something was up, but she didn't know what to do. If she asked him, he probably wouldn't answer.

When she wanted to get up he said, "I found a place across town. The rent isn't too expensive and the house looks pretty good." Her eyes widened in surprise when she listened to him. He actually searched another place? She hadn't really expected him to do anything about it and, when she didn't bring it up anymore, she'd thought that he would realize that she didn't want them gone anymore.

After her conversation with Caroline, she had been waiting to find the perfect moment to tell them that they could stay, but she didn't know how to bring it up. Caroline still hadn't asked Stefan to move in together so she hadn't said anything either.

Damon looked at her confused. Why wasn't she answering? He'd thought that she would be thrilled when she found out he would finally be gone. At first he'd been against the idea of searching another place, but after talking to Stefan frequently about it, he'd realized that he couldn't push Elena into letting them stay. He just had to suck it up. In normal circumstances he would've never given in, but when it came to Elena he seemed to have a weak spot. "Shouldn't you be jumping up and down?" he questioned sarcastically. He didn't get her reaction, why did she look so… disappointed?

"I was actually thinking of letting you stay," she answered him honesty, taking a deep breath. She was kind of nervous to see his reaction to her proposal.

The confused look on Damon's face turned into one of pure surprise. She was letting them stay? What the hell? He'd been trying to convince her for two weeks but she wouldn't budge. Now, all of a sudden, she changed her mind?

"I've been thinking about it for a while now, but I didn't know how to tell you," she went on when she saw the surprise on his face. The moment she'd spoken the words she had known that it was the right decision. She suddenly felt like there was a huge weight lifted from her shoulders and she could finally breathe normally again. It definitely felt good to do something nice for someone else.

"Are…are you sure?" Damon answered, slightly stuttering. He couldn't believe it. What changed? When did she realize that they could indeed live together in peace? Damn, why did he have to be such an ass to her when she first arrived here? Clearly, she was a good person and maybe if he had at least tried to be friendly in the beginning they wouldn't have had to go through all of this.

"Yeah, I'm sure. At first, I thought that it would be impossible to live together with strangers. However, I got to know you both and I think I'd actually like it if you stayed. The house is too big for me to live here all alone," she told him softly. She meant it; she would feel very alone if they were gone. The more the merrier… the saying was certainly true.

Damon just nodded, still trying to progress what she had told him. He didn't have to go? He didn't need to search for another house? That was fucking brilliant! It was the best news he'd gotten in the past few years!

"I've got to go now. I promised Caroline I'd be at her place early in the morning so we can go shopping to find me an outfit for tonight," she explained while getting up, putting her cup in the dishwasher.

"You're going to participate at the Annual Blind Date Night too?" he asked her curiously, following her example and putting his cup in the dishwasher.

Too? She thought confused. Did that mean he'd be there to participate just like her? Oh god, that's probably where the bad feeling came from! "Yeah, you're one of the Blind dates?" she questioned, anxiously waiting for his answer. When he nodded in approval, she could feel a wave of excitement going through her and, though she would never admit out loud, she would actually like to go on a date with him. It would be a very interesting evening, that's for sure.

* * *

><p>At exactly five o'clock, Elena walked into the Grill where the date night would take place. After going out of town to shop with Caroline, the time had flown. She hadn't even realized it was already getting late until the blonde dropped her off at the boarding house.<p>

She was wearing a velvet blue dress tonight, paired with a set of matching high heels and a silver bracelet. Her reflection in the mirror had surprised her, she couldn't even remember the last time she wore such a beautiful dress, it was even prettier than the one she wore at the Mystic Falls Ball. It fit her perfectly and she had to get used to this new side of her. Back in the city, she never wore dressy clothes. Caroline had certainly helped her to rebuild her confidence and have a little make-over.

As she stepped into the dark room, a waiter immediately brought her a glass of champagne and told her to go backstage where the other 'Blind Date' girls were waiting. The grill was covered in darkness with only a few candles burning and soft music playing in the background. It looked kind of cozy, though it was definitely mysterious too. Her friend had done a great job with decorating the place.

Behind the stage was a hallway that lead towards the bathroom. She didn't know how Caroline did it, but everything looked so beautiful. If you didn't look around thoroughly, you wouldn't even recognize the Grill anymore. Even the corridor was decorated with long curtains that were draped across every wall so it looked like you were walking through a sea of red.

When she finally reached her destination, there were a few girls waiting for her, all smiling at the time she walked in. "Hi, you must be the new girl," a red head said, shaking her hand. "I'm Rachelle, a friend of Rebecca," the girl went on, introducing herself.

"Hi, I'm Elena," she answered politely, smiling at the girl in front of her. Apparently, Caroline had told the girls that she was the new girl in town cause all of them wanted to get to know her. At first it had been a little awkward, but she soon realized that they were all very sweet girls and she started to feel more at ease. She didn't even know how long they had been talking when Caroline finally walked in to tell them that they would be going up in less than ten minutes.

After that, the blonde left the room again, but not before telling Elena that everything would be fine. Elena smiled at her softly, glad to know that her friend understood how nervous she was. So many things could go wrong tonight, it was taking all her strength and control not to start running the hell out of there.

* * *

><p>Every single year he let Barbie convince him to participate in this foolishness, though he never actually met an interesting girl that was worth his time. Not that he wanted to sound arrogant or anything, but most girls in Mystic Falls weren't that special. He could still clearly remember his date last year. Her name had been… Sarah, Sandy or… right, it had been Sharon. At first she had seemed to be a nice girl, not bad looking at all, though as soon as she started chattering about the newest handbag by Louis Vuitton, he'd known that she wasn't the girl he was searching for.<p>

Most woman were only interested in money and once they got to know that he didn't have a huge bank account, they stopped texting him or returning his calls. He hadn't even tried to date anymore after Katherine dumped him for that idiot. He wasn't the guy that women were searching for. He would never be enough.

Just like his father had always told him, he wasn't good for anything and he certainly didn't deserve love. He never understood why his father acted the way he did and after a while, he'd started to believe that he actually wasn't worthy of love. Besides Stefan, there was no one that actually liked him for who he was because, honestly, they didn't know him at all. No one ever took the time to get to know him better; they just assumed he was_ someone_ he was not.

Girls only saw him as a nice distraction or someone to make their guy jealous. And his friends? He didn't really have friends besides his buddy Ric. He had been an ass to the man in the beginning, but Alaric never took his shit. He told him the truth and defended himself. Soon, Damon started to respect the guy and, after a while, they even became friends. He found out that Alaric was also new in town and that he'd found a job as a teacher at the local high school. That was about nine years ago and they still hang out from time to time, but not as much as they used to. They were both very busy. Ric was taking cooking classes to impress his wife and Damon was busy with the Grill.

His boss had given him the opportunity to improve the menus and make new dishes so that the tavern would look like a real restaurant instead of a local bar. Also, they were redecorating the place; it would all be finished by the end of the month. Luckily, Caroline had offered to help them out since she knew the right people to get the job done. He felt really excited about it, maybe now he would finally be able to show the world how great of a cook he was. At the moment, lots of people passed the tavern because they thought it was a bar and not some place where they could eat in peace.

He was brought back to earth when Caroline's chirping voice told the crowd that the "Blind Date Night" would get started. As always, the place was loaded because everyone was curious about the new couples for tonight. The blonde always knew how to make things interesting. She sure as hell set all the dates up even if she told everyone that it was faith. She was an eternal matchmaker. He was surprised she didn't marry Cupidon.

When the girls that would participate the 'Blind Date Night' appeared on the catwalk, he gulped. Elena was wearing a beautiful, ocean blue dress that enveloped her body like a second skin. She looked absolutely marvelous. He had to take deep relaxing breaths to control the urge to run towards her and take her far away from the party. Damn, he shouldn't think that way about her. Only a few days ago, he despised her. Now, he was already growing strong feelings for her, cause honesty, he couldn't bring himself to say that it was just lust. He knew what lust felt like and this _thing_, whatever it was between them, was much more than primal lust.

"Ladies and gentleman, may I please introduce to you our fabulous single women for tonight," Caroline yelled, cheering at the crowd. "Maya, Lisa, Rebecca, Rachelle, Sharon and _the new girl in town,_ Elena!" Everyone started to whistle and cheer, totally going crazy with their hostess. As usual, his future sister-in-law was doing a remarkable job; she was really good at things like this. He wondered why his brother still hadn't asked her to marry him, or at least to move in together. They had been dating since _forever_, though neither of them seemed to want to take the first step.

Ten minutes later, Caroline had introduced everyone and was ready to reveal the first couple that would be going on a date tonight. After the names were announced, the couples would get an envelope with the location of their date inside. The lucky ones would get a limo to drive them to the Lockwood cabin across town, a place that had more luxury than anyone could afford. The ones that were less lucky would end up having a picnic in the park underneath the stars, though it still was a quite romantic setting.

The organization, the founding family members, always handed over a few dollars so that Caroline was able to set up wonderful dates. It was very kind of them, though Damon didn't exactly get why this entire thing was so important. If people wanted to date, they just had to sign up for a dating site.

"And the first lucky male will be…" the blonde hostess announced, smirking. "Damon Salvatore!" she yelled when the spot light stopped right above his head. He looked up in surprise while Caroline waved at him to come closer. It was the first time his name was chosen first, which he didn't expect at all. Usually, they would pick one of the new guys first.

"Let's see who will be lucky enough to go on a date with Mr. Salvatore," she winked, looking around at the women who were eagerly waiting to find out if they could go on a date with him. Every girl in town would kill for a date with Damon. He was the hottest, single guy in town, though Caroline would never say that out loud. His ego was big enough as it was.

After a long silence, Caroline finally revealed the name which made the crowd go wild all over again. "Elena Gilbert!"

Damon thought he was having a heart attack. Did he just hear_ her_ name? No, that couldn't be true. Caroline wouldn't set up a date between the two of them, would she? Apparently she had, cause in less than a minute he was standing on the stage with a totally shaken-up Elena beside him. The people in front of him were applauding while some of the men whistled at Elena, making her blush a little.

She looked so beautiful standing next to him, her cheeks slightly crimson. He would love to go on a date with her but, he wanted her to go with him because it was her own choice, not because someone was pushing her.

"Seems that you're one hell of a lucky girl tonight Elena because you're going to the Lockwood cabin," Caroline said, showing the envelop to the crowd.

Elena had to blink a few times to get used to the bright light that was shining in front of her eyes; she still couldn't believe Caroline actually set up a date between Damon and her. Honestly, she couldn't believe for even a minute that this was just pure coincidence. She should've known that the woman was planning something like this. It was so typical! Well, at least she couldn't say she was that disappointed with who turned out to be her date…

_To be continued… _

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><p><strong>The date will be for the next chapter. I had to split it up, because the chapter was already getting too long. The next part will be up by next week. <strong>

**So, how did you all like part one? **

**I'm sure you all guessed that DE would be going on a date together, I just couldn't write anything else :D **

**See you all next chapter!**

_**Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94.**_

**xoxo**


	8. New Beginning

**Thanks for all those wonderful reviews! I love you, guys! And of course, also a big thank you to Bibi and Jamie for beta reading the chapter! **

**Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own the vampire diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine! **

* * *

><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

_**Chapter 7**_

**New Beginning**

**Day 14: continuation**

Not even five minutes after they got off the stage, a tall man came walking towards them to tell them that their carriage was waiting at the entrance of the Grill. Elena didn't even have time to ask any questions before she was pushed towards the hallway. Damon hadn't said a word to her since he found out that she was his date. He'd just looked accusingly at Caroline.

She had to admit, she couldn't believe it had been fate either. She knew that Caroline was up to something, but she never thought her friend would go this far. However, apparently she had and now Elena was stuck in a cabin with no one else but _the_ Damon Salvatore; a man she still hadn't quite figured out yet.

He seemed to have so many issues and secrets that he kept from everyone… She would love to know what was going on in that head of his, though he never told her anything personal. He would talk to her, he could even be nice to her, but not once had he told her something about his past. Not once had he told her how he really felt, what bothered him, or what he liked. Sure, they had their civil conversations, but neither of them would reveal _something_ personal, _something_ they kept hidden from others.

Damon Salvatore was a very mysterious person and she wanted nothing more than to crack through his tough exterior. She didn't know why, but she had this feeling that they could be close friends _if_ he ever would let _her_ in. _If, _she would let _him_ in. At least that was something they had in common, neither of them liked to talk about themselves and their feelings.

When she walked outside the building, she saw that Damon was already stepping into the car and, suddenly, she grew a bit anxious. He was looking devilishly handsome tonight, wearing a buttoned up shirt paired with a black jeans. His hair was slightly disheveled thanks to the strong wind, though it only made him looking even more handsome.

Taking a deep, relaxing breath, she ended her train of thoughts and focused on the present instead. She was going on a date tonight, whether she liked it or not, so she'd better try to enjoy her evening. Who knows, maybe Damon would finally loosen up and she'd find out some interesting things about him. _Yeah, right! Keep on dreaming!_ The sarcastic voice inside of her mind told her.

A wicked grin was on his face when she walked closer. He clearly changed his mind about their evening together. At first he'd seemed to be disappointed, though right now… there was an entirely new look on his face- one she had never seen before. His pupils dilated when she walked closer which made her swallow quickly. She didn't dare look him straight in the eye, so her eyes lingered a bit longer on his lips. Fatal mistake.

It only made her want him more; she actually _wanted _to kiss him. It was the first time she admitted that she did indeed feel a strong pull towards him. It was something that wasn't pure lust. Usually she would block out those thoughts, though when he was standing _so_ close, looking _so_ delicious, she couldn't stop them.

"Ready for your date?" he asked her, wiggling his eyebrows at her seductively. The look on her face when she ogled him hadn't gone unnoticed. He felt extremely proud and confident seeing how she couldn't seem to take her eyes off him. As soon as he'd heard her name being called, he'd known that Barbie had planned all of this. Although at this particular moment, he didn't mind. He was really looking forward to spending the night with the beautiful brunette in front of him.

He'd tried to stay away from her, though everything she did, everything she said pulled him closer. She was his perfect match in every way. She could handle him at his worst which was something that not many people had succeeded in over the past few years. All of that scared him; it scared the hell out of him! There wasn't supposed to be anyone that was able to get under his skin. No, he didn't need a woman by his side; he had more than enough problems already. Women… they were complicated, annoying and, most of all,_ deceitful_. He promised himself to never let a women get to him again, because it would be fatal.

Instead of answering his question, she just nodded and took his hand when he helped her into the car. She was glad she could finally sit down because her heels were killing her. However, she had promised Caroline she would wear them until the night was over. When she sat comfortably, she watched as Damon stepped in. He gave her one of his million dollar smirks before looking outside the window as the limo started to drive away.

Here she was, in the backseat of a limousine with Damon Salvatore. Her dreams about this night had been a lot more interesting than it was actually turning out to be. She wanted to start a conversation, but she didn't know what she should say. It was the first time that she felt so unnerved around him. Usually, she was just annoyed by his behavior. The tension was thick in the air, making it impossible for her to stay calm and relaxed.

She started to fiddle at her dress, hoping that he wouldn't notice how anxious she actually felt. Unfortunately, her wishful thinking wasn't enough. "Why are you so nervous?" he asked her softly, stroking the back of her hand with his finger. The touch was supposed to be soothing, though it only set her body on fire and made her loose her mind entirely.

"I'm not nervous," she denied, though her voice and body language told him otherwise. She could deny it as much as she wanted, but it was obvious that she didn't feel comfortable.

He shook his head at her answer, what did he expect? Of course she wouldn't tell him the truth. Unfortunately for Elena, he was in one of his most cocky moods and now the game was on. So she wasn't nervous or uncomfortable? Well, he was going to test how long it would take before she would snap.

Instead of pulling his hand back, he kept caressing her skin, smiling wickedly when he heard her sharp intake of breath. Well, well, well, this was going to be an interesting night, he thought. She was clearly trying to hide the way he made her feel. It would only make it that funnier when he will get her to admit her feelings.

Elena on the other hand was getting annoyed. Why did he keep touching her? He usually avoided being near her and now he couldn't seem to pull back his hand. Her mind was going crazy while her body enjoyed his caress. Before now, she never realized just how strong her feelings were.

"When are you going to start at the Mystic Falls Gazette?" Damon asked her politely, trying to start a conversation. The only way to get her to open up was by being nice. He knew pushing her wasn't a solution since she would never open up if she was mad at him.

"I haven't decided yet _if_ I'm going to start at all," she told him honestly. She was surprised when he suddenly took her chin in his hands and turned her head so that she was looking him in the eye. It sent an unnerving jolt through her body. She felt like her body would explode any minute.

"You're great at what you do, you should take the job," he said, his eyes piercing hers. He'd read all the articles she'd written for Caroline so he actually knew what he was talking about. And he meant it, she should take the chance. She was a great author and the Gazette could use someone like her, someone as determined and devoted to her job as she was. Every time she was talking about writing, her entire face lit up and a bright smile appeared on her lips.

"Thanks," she answered shyly, looking down to her lap. She wasn't used to getting compliments, certainly not from Damon. When they first met, she'd been sure that he never wanted to be her friend. He was good company and she actually enjoyed being around him, even if he made her feel a tad bit nervous at times. He was a great person and a very loyal friend.

* * *

><p>After a few minutes, they arrived at the Lockwood cabin. It was located next to a beautiful lake and surrounded by trees. The location was absolutely beautiful and she was sure that she could keep staring at the massive building in front of her for hours. If she thought the boarding house was big, this was a palace. She had never seen something quite like it.<p>

"I take it you like the location of our date tonight?" Damon asked, cockily grinning at her. She was practically drooling. However, he understood her reaction; he'd been quite surprised by the size of the building, too.

Instead of answering him, she stepped out of the car and started walking towards the front door. The hall was exquisite. It had a laminate floor, a huge staircase, and some marvelous paintings. Mrs. Lockwood definitely knew how to decorate a house.

"This is so beautiful," she said gawking, not really believing what she was seeing. She didn't think she had ever stayed at such an amazing place. Back in the city, she lived in a tiny apartment that was nothing compared to this enormous cabin. How on earth could someone be so rich? The Lockwoods didn't know how lucky they were.

When she turned around, Damon was standing only millimeters away from her and she let out a shriek, almost tripping. Thanks to Damon's graceful saving, she ended up in his arms instead of the cold floor.

God, she was so embarrassed. Why did she have to make such a fool out of herself? Although at the moment, she was more concerned about the fact that it felt so perfect to lay in his arms. He had a strong grip on her and pushed her even closer to his chest, as if to make sure that she wouldn't fall when he let her go. She had to admit, she felt kind of wobbly and she probably wouldn't have been able to stand on her own.

"Whoa there, you don't have to fall for me immediately. It's only our first date," he smirked, giving her a wink. If he just bent his head down a little further, their lips would be touching. Stay focused, he scolded himself. He didn't understand why he was having such a hard time keeping his hormones in control. He usually didn't act this way; it was almost like he was a horny teenager all over again.

She quickly took a step back as soon as she was able to stand steadily again while giving him an accusatory look for joking about it. She was embarrassed enough as it was already. "I'm going to find us something to drink," she told him with a firm tone before disappearing into the kitchen of the mansion.

Damon had to try hard to not burst out laughing; she looked so cute with her cheeks all flushed. Watching her walk away, he realized how much he enjoyed her warm, soft body in his arms. It was simply amazing what a huge effect she had on his body. Everything she did or said was a massive turn on.

By the time she got back, he had started the fireplace and sat down on the couch. She had to take a quick gulp when she sawthat he had also opened the top buttons of his shirt. Small, tantalizing glimpses of skin peaked through._Damn the tension between them!_ Why hadn't she noticed any of this before? _Okay, she might have, though she _never_ dared to admit it._

"I found a few bottles of scotch, tequila and champagne," she told him when she walked in, making him turn his head to watch her. Their eyes met and she gave him a quick smile to hide her own nerves.

"Let's start with the champagne. We should celebrate Caroline's genius set up plan," he said winking. Of course she'd known that something was up with this entire date, but she didn't know that he felt the same way about it.

"Well, I knew she was planning something, though I couldn't figure out what it was," she answered him, smiling. The blonde certainly knew how to make sure her secret, little plans came true.

"That's Caroline. You never know what to expect with her," he told her laughing heartily. Even though the tension was still thick in the air, they could have a conversation without feeling too uncomfortable. He had been afraid that their entire evening would be awkward. He found out that he didn't need to worry about that because she already seemed to be much more relaxed than a few minutes ago.

She nodded while filling two glasses with champagne. Their fingers briefly touched andshe could feel electric vibes going through her entire body. Thanks to the shock she looked up, her eyes meeting his. He was looking her deeply in the eye, as reading her soul and hypnotizing her so that she was at his mercy. She couldn't even bring herself to look away; she was drowning deeper and deeper in the sea of his blue eyes.

In the end, Damon was the one to break the spell when he finally looked away. He didn't know what's gotten into him. Why was he acting this way? He knew well enough that he felt a pull towards the gorgeous brunette. Although, he also knew that he wasn't who she was searching for, who she needed. She wanted a nice guy that could give her a beautiful future with lots of cute, little babies. He wasn't _that _kind of man; he was Damon Salvatore, destined to be alone.

When he looked away, she rapidly took a gulp of champagne and downed the whole glass. Typically, alcohol helped to ease her nerves, but tonight she had a feeling it would take a lot more than usual.

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><p>It was almost midnight. The two of them had been drinking for hours now. It had started out rather innocently. Damon had turned on the radio while he handed her another glass of champagne. Quickly, they drained the bottle and opened another one. So instead of being a responsible adult, she had started to sway her hips to the beat of the music.<p>

Damon had followed her lead and started dancing with her. In the beginning, they were standing miles apart, but it didn't take many glasses of champagne before they were moving to the music in union. His muscled chest pressed against her back while his arms started to wander up and down her body, avoiding the spot she wanted him to touch the most.

Her panties were soaked through thanks to his caress. However, she wouldn't admit how much she wanted him. Instead, she tried to ignore the fact that he was playing her body like a finely tuned Stradivarius*.

It happened so fast that she didn't even have the time to notice what was happening. Suddenly, his mouth was pressed against hers, his tongue begging for entrance. His left hand had stayed on her back, pulling her body against his. His right hand one was cupping her cheek. He kissed her passionately, their tongues battling for dominance. She let out a moan when his hand suddenly moved lower and squeezed her ass. Damn, it felt too good to be true. Although as soon as the kiss had stopped, he pulled back and looked at her wide-eyed.

"Elena, are you sure you want to do this? I have to tell you, I don't date. I just have casual sex with women, no strings attached," he told her, needing her to understand he couldn't be who she wanted him to be. He wasn't the kind of guy that wanted to marry, have a bunch of kids, and grow old together with the love of his life.

"I…" he tried to add, though she interrupted him by pushing him onto the couch and sitting down on his lap.

She slowly caressed his jaw line, not once breaking eye-contact. Then she leaned in, shamelessly pressing her breasts against his chest while softly nibbling at his earlobe. "Shut the fuck up, Damon, and kiss me!" she whispered seductively.

Her husky demand echoed through his mind, making his cock twitch. He was sure that he would have blue balls if he didn't get her out of those clothes rapidly. As always, he was being a perfect southern gentleman and he obliged immediately, taking over control and pushing her flat on her back before kissing her deeply, savoring her.

He'd never tasted something quite like her and was already addicted to her unique flavor. She kissed him passionately, letting out her inner ferocity._ Tonight__**,**_ she would be showing just how much she wanted him. She would finally end her idiotic worries about what this would mean and go with the flow for once. _Tonight__**,**_ she would be living in the present instead of thinking about the future. Carpe Diem. Seize the day.

Soon their clothes were spread across the entire living room. They were both too caught up in the moment to think clearly. She couldn't seem to get close enough to him. Even with all those layers of clothing removed, she wanted more… needed more.

He continued kissing her like there was no tomorrow and she had to admit that she'd never been kissed quite like that. He was an amazing kisser; she couldn't wait to see what else he could do to her. When he started to trail lower and kiss the crook of her neck, she couldn't help the soft moan that escaped her lips.

It wasn't until then that she realized how long it had been since the last time she had slept with someone. The past years had flown by and she didn't exactly take the time to enjoy the company of men. She was too busy concentrating on work that she totally forgot about her own needs.

"God you're so beautiful," Damon whispered against her skin. When he finally reached her breasts, he squeezed them together before taking one of her nipples in his mouth, suckling on it lightly. She arched her back, wanting more. She was so far gone that she didn't even remember when he took her bra off.

She had pushed him away for far too long. Although when he was working his magic on her body like this, she couldn't quite seem to remember why she kept her distance. Everything felt so good, so perfect. It overwhelmed her in more than one way. She'd never felt such a strong connection towards anyone. In fact, most of the time, she simply ran away when she met a guy that was interesting because she was afraid to get hurt. She was too much of a coward to follow her heart.

"More," she moaned when he took her other nipple in his mouth, pinching the other one with his free hand. She closed her eyes in satisfaction, shamelessly pressing her hips to his body, searching for the much needed friction. Seeing the fire in his eyes and a wicked smile across his lips only turned her on more. She usually couldn't get enough of foreplay, but being with Damon seemed to make her more impatient. She couldn't wait to feel him inside her. Feeling his enormous bulge against her thigh made her realize he indeed had every reason to be cocky. Damn… she didn't think she'd ever been so needy before.

She scratched her nails on his back, pushing him closer to her body. Her moans grew louder and louder with every second that passed. Damon finally decided to give her what she desired the most and trailed down to her most intimate parts. He slowly removed her panties while keeping his eyes focused on hers.

When he finally slipped a finger into her wet core, she let out a shriek, her eyes rolling to the back of her head. Damon was surprised by how tight she was. He couldn't wait to be inside of her, to feel her walls clamping around his rock hard member.

He went awfully slow at first, pumping his finger in and out of her, flicking her clit from time to time. He knew that he must be torturing her, but he wanted her to ask for more. To beg!

"Damon," she moaned, impatiently thrusting her hips up, trying to show him what she wanted.

"What do you want, sweetheart?" he whispered, nibbling at her earlobe. Of course he knew what she was trying to say, but he needed her to say those words out loud.

When she saw the smirk across his lips, she rolled her eyes. "I want you to fuck me into oblivion, to blow my mind**,** and turn my world upside down," she told him, seductively licking her lips. He wanted to play this game? He didn't know what he was asking for; she could play dirty too.

"Would you make me yours, Damon?" she added, giving him her most adorable look. Seeing how his eyes darkened, she knew she had hit a nerve. He was so not expecting this behavior from her.

Without another word**,** he got up, pulled off his boxers**,** and positioned himself at her entrance. She let out a gasp when his cock jumped free. He was even bigger than she had expected and she started to doubt if he would actually fit.

As reading her mind**,** Damon told her, "No worries, it'll fit perfectly," before slowly pushing inside of her, making her head spin. He filled herto the hilt, making her feel more whole than she'd felt in her entire life. When she finally adjusted to his size**,** he started to thrust into her at a steady pace. Their movements matched perfectly, it almost felt like they were made for each other.

She was sure that she could see stars shining brightly. He was literally rocking her world. No one else had ever known what she needed, what she craved for. Now here he was, making her scream loud enough to wake the whole town. When he changed the angle and hit her G-spot with every thrust, she could feel her release coming closer. Her breaths had become erratic and she had to fight for air.

He knew she had to be close becauseher walls were squeezing him tightly, making it hard not to lose control entirely. He didn't believe that people could be made for each other, however when he was inside of her wet heat, fitting perfectly, he started to doubt his judgment. She was unbelievable and he knew that he would never be able to forget this night. She was his perfect match in every way and it scared him more than he cared to admit. Knowing she could be such a little minx when she wanted to be would only make it harder to stay away from her.

Elena let out a loud scream when her orgasm hit her, taking her away in waves of pleasure. She chanted his name like a prayer whileher world spun out of control. Her sight started to get hazy andher heartbeat drummed against her chest. Never in her 25 years had she comethis hard and fast during sex. Most guys didn't even notice when she was faking it. He'd blown her mind just like she asked him to.

Damon followed close behind her, spilling his seed deep inside of her warmth. He couldn't believe what happened yet. Only two weeks ago he had no idea who the hell Elena Gilbert was and now he couldn't imagine a life without her. She had made him go crazy, that's for sure. He'd always been so careful with woman after _Katherine_ happened, keeping them at a safe distance. This was not safe anymore, it was very dangerous even. He was getting attached to her, something which shouldn't have happened so quickly.

A minute later the two of them were still panting, both trying to progress what had happened between them. They had kept their distance to make sure Caroline's plan wouldn't work out and, suddenly, they were lying on a couch together, _naked_. Their bodies were sweaty and exhausted after one hell of an ride.

How could an innocent Blind Date night turn into something as crazy as this? She definitely had other expectations when she got up this the morning. However, she couldn't say she regretted anything that happened tonight.

Elena didn't know how long they stayed there lying together. It could have been a minute or even an hour, she had no idea. Then, suddenly, without another word, Damon got up and pulled her upright. He lead her upstairs to the closest bedroom and tookher hand in his, pulling her onto the bed with him. He didn't let go until they were both deep asleep, their bodies tangled together underneath the cool sheets.

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><p>* The name "Stradivarius" has become a superlative often associated with excellence; to be called "the Stradivari" of any field is to be deemed the finest there is. The fame of Stradivarius instruments is widespread, appearing in numerous works of fiction.<p>

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><p><strong>Ok. So I hope everyone liked the chapter. To be honest, I'm still not entirely content with the way the chapter turned out, however I just couldn't seem to write it any other way. <strong>

**Let me know if you liked it (or not)! **

_**Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94**_

**xoxo**


	9. I won't let you close enough to hurt me

**A/N: Thank you so much for all your kind words! I was truly overwhelmed by the amount of reviews. I wasn't very pleased with the last chapter, though thanks to your support, I feel much more confident about it. Also a thank you to all the anonymous reviewers, I can't thank you in person, but your words mean a lot to me! **

**Thank you Bibi and Jamie for beta reading the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine. **

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

_**Chapter 8**_

**I won't let you close enough to hurt me**

**Day 15**

Slowly, Elena started to wake up and stretched her arms when she felt how sore her muscles were. Her eyes started to flutter open, and she had to blink a few times before she finally was able to see clearly. She yawned softly before the realization hit her… she slept with Damon. She had the most mind-blowing sex _ever_ with Damon. Freaking. Salvatore. What the hell was she thinking?

She quickly turned around, expecting to see a sleeping Damon lying beside her. She was already imagining a thousand ways to wake him up. Instead, a look of disappointment covered her face when she saw that she was alone in the room. Sitting up, she tried to hear if there was any noise but the house was covered in silence.

He wouldn't leave her alone after an amazing night like that, would he? A bit nervous, she got out of the bed and quickly searched for something to cover her naked body with. After a few seconds, she found her red dress lying in the corner of room along with her underwear. Damn, she couldn't even remember how on earth they got there. Although she remembered the rest of her evening pretty vividly, thinking about it made her heart beat faster, her cheeks burn, and her face flush a deep red. After Damon had carried her upstairs, they'd both fallen into a peaceful sleep. However, not much later they woke up again and had their own encore performance… three times. She didn't think it was possible to cum so many times, but clearly Damon had enough stamina to last all night long.

After she put her dress on, she tiptoed through the house, hoping to find Damon cooking breakfast. Their night together had been amazing. It would break her heart if he would just run off like that. It made her feel cheap, like an awful one-night-stand that wasn't even worth a simple goodbye.

When she saw a note lying on the kitchen table of the cabin, her heart started beating faster. She quickly picked it up.

_Morning, Sleepyhead. Breakfast's in the fridge. I had to go to work early today. X Damon_

So he didn't leave her without a word, though it still made her feel sad that he wasn't there anymore. He could've at least woken her up to tell her he had to leave, no? Okay, it was kinda sweet that he didn't want to disturb her rest. However, she would've liked it much more if he would've woken her. At least then, she would have been able to give him a good morning kiss.

Opening the fridge**,** she saw a plate of pancakes with yet another note. _I couldn't leave you without your favorite breakfast, right? Just warm it up in the microwave. See you tonight, beautiful. _A huge smile came across her face. Okay, now she couldn't be mad anymore, because he didn't wake her up. It was so considerate of him to make her breakfast. She always knew he was a sweet guy.

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><p>About two hours later, Elena left the Lockwood cabin. After eating breakfast and getting herself ready, she quickly cleaned up the rooms they used. There was no way she would give anyone the chance to gossip about her. She wasn't going to leave a bad impression on Ms. Lockwood because she didn't clean the place. The woman never missed a thing.<p>

Just before she was going to leave, she received a text from Caroline who asked her to come by her house and have a girls talk. Of course she knew why the Caroline wanted to talk to her so desperately, but that didn't mean she was anywhere close to being prepared to admitting defeat.

Now that all the alcohol was out of her system, she started to worry a bit. How was she supposed to act when she saw Damon again, after their rendezvous? He did warn her before anything real happened: '_Elena, are you sure you wanna do this? I have to tell you, I don't date. I just have casual sex with women, no strings attached'. _His words kept echoing through her mind. He wasn't the guy she was looking for; however, that didn't mean he wasn't everything she wanted. He was one of the nicest guys she'd ever met; he could make her smile without even trying and made her heart flutter with just a single glance. Not to mention how handsome he was. She didn't think she'd ever seen someone quite as good looking. He just looked so confident with that typical smirk of his across his face and a dominant look in his eyes. He was freaking delicious, but more importantly, addictive. Now that she knew how good it felt to be in his arms, she couldn't seem to find a way to keep her heart locked away safely. He'd broken through her resolve and turned her world upside down.

She knew she was walking on a very dangerous territory, but she couldn't seem to stay away. The only thing she could hope for was that Damon would realize he was indeed relationship material, cause if he didn't… She wouldn't know what to do. She wasn't the girl that slept with men just to have a pleasurable night. No, the only reason why she slept with someone was because she had feelings for the person in question. There was no denying it anymore; she felt something for Damon, something that went beyond their physical attraction.

He was one of the few people that understood her, that could handle her at her worst**,** and actually knew how to act around her. Most people just saw her as the lonely girl that writes articles and spends her day working. She hadn't even told Damon why she left her home and travelled across the country in the first place. For some reason, he just seemed to know that it wouldn't be a question she would answer.

Being in Mystic Falls actually helped her to mourn her parents. She hadn't thought about them as much anymore and she couldn't remember the last time she'd smiled this much. Making new friends and hunting for a new job… It all helped to find herself again and become who she always wanted to be: a strong and confident woman. Even Bonnie seemed to notice the sudden change, because, the last time they talked, she'd told Elena that she was glad that Elena finally found a place where she truly belonged and was happy.

Speaking of Bonnie, she'd called to tell her the most amazing news possible. Together with her boyfriend, Luca, Bonnie would be visiting her in two weeks. It was one of the best surprises she could've gotten. She truly missed her friend and couldn't wait to finally see her back. It was such a relief to know that Bonnie honestly didn't mind that she left the city.

A few minutes later, she arrived at Caroline's house. She was still waiting for her friend to ask Stefan to move in together, however the blonde promised her it wouldn't take long anymore. She just had to find the perfect moment.

Before she could knock on the door, the portal opened and the blonde woman came into view. Caroline was wearing a beautiful**,** flower printed summer dress. However, it was the enormous smile on her face that caught Elena's attention. "Come in," she said nicely, before stepping aside so Elena could enter the house. The blonde hadn't even closed the door behind her before she exclaimed: "Spill! Why the hell are you glowing?"

"I'm not glowing," was Elena's idiotic answer. How was it possible? She wasn't really glowing, was she? Caroline wasn't supposed to see through her that easily! She hadn't even been planning to tell the entire truth; now, it seemed like it was the only option left

"Please! You're wearing that typical _'I just had the best sex of my entire life'_ kind of look. Honestly, you're not getting away with this one. I want to know everything and I do mean _everything_!" she answered, her eyes wide from excitement.

"Okay, so I had a pretty good date yesterday. It wasn't half as bad as I expected it to be," she admitted softly, turning to look to the other side of the room. If there was one thing Elena Gilbert hated most, it was admitting she had been wrong. It was a bad habit, though she couldn't help but feel the way she did.

"I knew it!" Caroline smiled, making a little jump. "I _so_ knew it! You've got to tell me the details!" Seeing her friend that excited made Elena smile too.

"OK, so we went to the Lockwood cabin together, had a few drinks**,** and started a relaxing conversation," the brunette told her friend, secretly enjoying making Caroline curious.

"Please don't tell me that's it. You at least shared a kiss, right? Why else would you be in such a great mood?"

"Well, we did share a kiss… and what a kiss it was," Elena smiled, closing her eyes for a second, returning to the moment their lips met. She could still feel his lips lingering on hers, his tongue slipping into her mouth, devouring her taste.… Blinking, she quickly snapped out of her vivid day dream. No chance in hell was she going to embarrass herself even more by moaning out loud in Caroline's presence.

"My, my," Caroline smirked when she saw the look on Elena's face. "I think a lot more has happened than just a simple kiss," she went on.

"Maybe, maybe not," Elena answered mockingly. Although, the enormous smile on her lips spoke volumes.

"Oh my gosh!" were the only words that left Caroline's lips in her shocked state of mind. She quickly took a step forward and gave Elena a tight hug. Caroline was a lot stronger than people might think, and Elena actually had to push her back to get the much needed air into her lungs.

"Caroline, you're killing me here," she choked out.

"Oops, I'm sorry, Lena," the blonde smiled. "I'm just so happy you two finally saw the light!"

Elena shook her head, laughing. It definitely had been nice to give in to her feelings, though she also felt pretty confused at the moment. She had no idea what direction her relationship with Damon was taking. One thing she was sure of, she wouldn't sleep with him again until they established some ground rules. If he didn't want a relationship, then she didn't want her heart broken.

"You have to tell me everything!" the woman said, squealing a little, once again repeating the same sentence.

"There's not much to tell. We had a fun night, started to drink, shared a kiss and ended up in bed together. End of story," Elena told her shortly, not wanting to share any details. She wasn't going to tell herhow amazing in bed the elder Salvatore brother was. Simply put, he was sinfully good. Nothing beats the sweet taste of his lips. No, she would keep that night all to herself.

"Oh come on Lena, you should at least give me a few details! How did it feel?" her friend tried, hoping to get a little more information

"It felt wonderful. It's been a very long time since I let loose like that and it felt really good."

"I can imagine. So how was it? I mean, is he as good between the sheets as he claims to be?" the woman asked, blushing a little.

"Better," Elena answered simply. She could try to explain just how wonderful it felt, though there were absolutely no words that would do justice to how unbelievable their night actually was. She got goose bumps just from thinking about the night they shared.

After a two hour talk with Caroline, Elena decided that it was time to leave her friend alone. She still had grocery shopping to do before she went back home, and she wanted to make sure that she was home before Damon was. The Grill closed early today, so he would be done right before dinner. She just hoped that Stefan wouldn't be at home because, that would probably be awkward. She still didn't know what to do or how to act with Damon. Mixing Damon's brother into the situation would probably only make things harder.

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><p>Damon let out a relieved breath when he was finally done at work. The entire day had gone by awfully slowly and he couldn't wait to see Elena again. After their previous night together, he just couldn't get her out of his head. She kept appearing into his mind. An image of her sweaty body underneath his while she chanted his name over and over again was on a constant loop.<p>

He had been with many women before, certainly during his teenage years. He had this crazy habit of drinking away his sorrows and sleeping with a bunch of women to forget about his problems for a little while. However, the way Elena's body responded to his and the way she fit in his arms perfectly was a completely new was as if she was made especially for him. He had tried to forget about it, though the thoughts kept haunting him.

He had even left early in the morning to make sure he wouldn't have to face her again that soon. He just didn't know how to react or what to do because he didn't want to give her false sense of hope. He was still convinced that he didn't want, or need, a relationship. Although, before he left her all alone, he'd written two notes. He just couldn't leave her without a word. It felt wrong to do something like that to a lovely girl such as Elena. She wasn't just another one-night-stand.

His dick would probably be very grateful if he decided to share another few nights with the beautiful brunette, though his mind told him it was wrong to take advantage of her like that. The night before had just been an act of primal need; they both wanted and needed each other. Today was an entirely different day, and he had to respect her wishes. Unfortunately, that meant keeping his distance. What Elena needed was a nice guy who would go on a few dates with her, share the perfect kiss, and start a lovely relationship with. She didn't need a dark knight to have casual sex with. No, she wasn't that kind of girl.

Besides, _he_ didn't want a relationship. He wasn't the hopeless romantic who would go all lovey-dovey for his girlfriend and cuddle on the couch. He didn't want to become one of those sappy idiots that proposed because they thought they found the love of their life. He didn't believe in "the one". He was a realistic type of guy

When he arrived home, he noticed that Elena's car wasn't parked in the driveway. She still hadn't gotten home yet? Well, that was weird. Although since she probably went by Caroline's first, he realized that Barbie probably hadn't let her escape without sharing every second of their date. She had even sent him a text message to ask how his night had been! The woman was just unbelievable.

Shaking his head, he stepped out of his blue Camaro and walked inside. Sometimes, he really couldn't understand why his brother was so into the blonde chatterbox. She was a sweet girl, though she was too much of the optimistic. He was more into a nice, caring, smart person who was easy to have conservation with. Someone like… yeah, well like Elena. She was about everything he searched for in a woman.

He had a bright smile on his face when his baby brother walked in, looking up in surprise. "What got you in such a good mood?" Stefan asked confused, watching his elder brother closely.

"Well, that's for me to know and…" he started.

"_For me to *dot* *dot* *dot*,_ yeah I know, so you keep telling me," Stefan interrupted. "Honestly, why are you smiling like a moron? It's been years since the last time I saw you this happy. I can't even remember the last time you smiled like that."

"Mind your own business, baby bro. I'm sure you have enough to worry about," Damon told him quickly. He should've known that his brother would be a pain in the ass once he got back from New York. It had truly been a relief to be away from him for a couple of days. However, any longer and he would have started missing him – not that he'd admit it. Deep down, he did have a soft spot when it came to his younger brother

"Wait a minute, does this have something to do with Elena?" Stefan suddenly questioned, realizing his brother had been on a date with her the day before.

"What part gives you the trouble? The _mind your own business_ part? Or the _I'm sure you've enough to worry about already_?" Damon retorted, not liking the direction their conversation was taking.

"Damon, she's a nice girl. You shouldn't take advantage of her," his brother said carefully.

"What the hell Stefan? Now, I'm taking advantage of her? You have no freaking idea what you're talking about so I'll tell you one last time: Mind your own fucking business!" he fired back before running upstairs. His good mood had disappeared by the final step.

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><p>About half an hour later, Elena finally arrived home. She'd come across Ms. Flowers during her grocery shopping and the woman had kindly asked her to come by for a visit .The poor lady felt very alone lately, since her husband passed away a while back.<p>

She found out that Ms. Flowers was actually a very nice person who was totally addicted to cats. She had at least twelve cats running around in her living room. The woman loved her husband dearly, but she had lost him after he had a heart attack. Her life had never been the same.

Elena had watched the lady talk about her husband with admiration. She could only hope to find that kind of love. Ms. Flowers was consumed by the love for her husband;it was obvious that they had a special, but very powerful bond.

The first person she came across with when she entered the boarding house was Stefan. He was working on his laptop, sitting on the couch in front of the fire. They quickly shared their 'hellos' before she walked into the kitchen, hoping to find Damon. She was surprised to find the room empty. Normally, Damon always cooked the nights he was at home. He was so fascinated by creating new plates that he always liked to stand in _his_ kitchen - cooking was his true passion.

She quickly went back into the living room where Stefan was still typing on his laptop. "Hey, do you maybe know where Damon is?" she questioned, making him turn his head to look up at her.

"Uhm yeah, we kind of had this fight. After that, he ran upstairs to his room and he hasn't come out since," Stefan said, smiling sheepishly. Elena had to control the urge to roll her eyes. Of course they had a fight, they always fought.

Nodding, she ran upstairs, nervous to see Damon again. She'd been waiting for this moment the entire day, so she couldn't go back now. She just had to take a deep breath to calm her nerves, nothing bad would happen. After the night before, things were just a _little_ complicated.

In front of his door, she started to doubt her decision to come upstairs. Maybe he didn't want to see her. However, even her worries weren't enough to keep her from being drawn to him like a magnet so, instead, she knocked on the door, waiting for him to let her in.

"Go away, Stefan!" came a rough shout that actually made her jump backwards in surprise. He was clearly in a very bad mood, which disappointed her more than she cared to admit. She had hoped for a repeat of the night before.

"It's me, Elena," she answered softly, taking a deep breath. Only a second after the words left her lips, the door opened and a sad looking Damon stood in front of her. She smiled softly at him, hoping to break the icy look on his face. It clearly didn't work because he continued to stand in the middle of the doorway, which, effectively blocked her entrance into the room.

"I think it's better if you leave me alone tonight, Lena. As you can see, I'm not in one of my best moods," he told her carefully, his eyes pleading for her to go away. He'd had enough drama for one night. He'd looked forward to this time of the day from the moment he entered the Grill. Although right now, the only thing he could think of was his brother who, yet again, believed that his actions weren't honorable. Hearing the disappointment in his father's voice had been nothing compared to hearing the same tone coming out of Stefan's mouth. It was like a knife piercing his skin; he should have been used to it by now. To be honest, you never get used to hearing the disappointment in someone's voice when they're talking about you.

"Well, you can always tell me what happened and we'll try to find a solution," she answered, her fingers brushing against his. She wanted to help him, to take away his pain, but she didn't know how.

"That's very sweet of you, though I still think it's better if you just leave me alone. I really don't feel like talking to anyone," he told her calmly, before taking a step back and closing the door right in her face. He knew he would regret doing so in the morning, though he really couldn't handle being near her tonight. He just wanted to be alone for the night, drink a good glass of scotch, and fall into a peaceful slumber.

On the other side of the door, Elena stood still as a statue, her eyes widened in shock. Did he really just block her out, _literally_? That was so rude; she was just trying to be nice. She thought that after their previous night, they had made some progress in their relationship. Clearly, she had been wrong. One step forward, two steps backward, she thought sadly. He was finally starting to open up to her and, now, he just pushed her away again. She could only hope that he would realize just how much he meant to her.

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><p><strong>Like I said in my reply to the reviews, this chapter was just a filler. Not much Delena, I know, but lots of Delena coming up in the next chapters!<strong>

**As for Damon's reaction, just keep in mind that he had a difficult past and a father that disliked him. **

**However, DE will keep making progress. No relationship is perfect and they will have their ups and downs, but in the end, they're still making progress. **

**So please let me know if you liked the chapter and review!**

**Ps. Reviewing means getting spoilers! (expect for the ones that I can't reply to of course) :D**

_**Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94**_

**xoxo**


	10. The Beauty of Hope

**A rather quick update thanks to my pre-reader Bibi! Thanks, hun. And of course also a thank you to my beta Jamie! You girls rock!**

**Another thank you to Babi for writing me such a lovely review last chapter! I couldn't stop smiling when I read your words. And of course to all my other amazing reviewers! You're the reason why I keep writing fanfics! **

**This chapter is a long and important one that includes lots of emotions. I hope you will all enjoy it. **

**Disclaimer: As always, I still don't own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine. **

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

_**Chapter 9**_

**The Beauty of Hope**

**Day 21**

A week had gone by, and Elena still hadn't talked to Damon since that day, when he practically closed the door in her face. He seemed to be avoiding her, because the only time she saw him was when he got home from work (rather late at night, she might add). Even then, he didn't give her more than a simple 'goodnight' before running upstairs like a coward.

She was so sick and tired of it, however**,** she didn't know how to solve their current situation. Dear god, she didn't even know what the hell was going on. Ever since his 'fight' with Stefan, he had been acting differently. He kept his distance from almost everyone and spent more time in his room than he ever did before. It was a hopeless situation.

The phone started ringing, bringing her back from her train of thoughts and she quickly ran towards the closet where the phone was located and picked it up, making an end to the annoying noise. A sweet female voice asked her if Damon might be home. She could practically feel the jealousy boiling through her veins. She quickly told the _bitch_ that he was not and asked if she had to leave him a message.

"Oh, just tell him that Alaric and his wife are coming by later this week," the woman told her. _Wife_? Elena thought embarrassed. She just got all defensive and jealous for no reason! The woman was married to Damon's best friend! Jesus, what the hell was wrong with her? She usually never got this jealous.

After she quickly said her 'goodbyes', she hung up and walked back to the closet to put the phone back in place. The past days had made her rather cranky. She still couldn't believe that Damon was ignoring the obvious chemistry between them. The 'no strings attached' was okay for her if it meant that they would still talk to each other. She just plainly missed him. Their usual banter, honest conversation, even his smart-ass remarks… She never realized how important he had become to her until he started to keep his distance.

He was the first person she gave the chance to get to know the real Elena Gilbert. Usually**,** she made sure people stayed far away from her and her past, but he easily broke through all her defense mechanisms and found a way to her heart. He made her realize that she was still at the beginning of her life. There were still so many things she could achieve if she fought for what she desired most. He made her feel whole again.

Two days ago, she even had a girls night with Caroline so she would be able to forget about him for a little while. They'd watched a romantic movie and ate ice-cream to make her feel better, though it didn't exactly work out that way. She was too much of a brooding person to be distracted by a simple slumber party. There was simply no way to get the haunting images of the blue eyed man out of her head.

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><p><em>Flashback<em>

"_What movie do you want to watch, Titanic or the Notebook?" Caroline asked smiling, while holding up both movies. After she noticed that Elena was feeling bad, the blonde, of course, had to make sure her friend was okay. Especially because it was actually her fault that Elena ended up going on a date with Damon. _

_She'd known all along that their chemistry would lead to more than a nice conversation; however, she didn't think that Damon would still have such issues regarding relationships. She'd thought that he was over the entire 'I don't need a woman' phase, though he clearly was far from ready to start something serious. _

_So being the good friend she always tried to be, Caroline had called Elena to ask if they could have a slumber party. She knew her friend could use someone to talk to and a chill girls' night. A few romantic movies and popcorn would surely do the trick. She even brought a box full of Ben & Jerry's ice cream in all kind of different flavors since she didn't know which one was Elena's favorite. Caroline, was a big fan of the cheesecake brownie and Banana split. Every time she felt down or had a fight with Stefan, she would go running towards the closest grocery shop and buy herself a bunch of ice cream. _

_Although, trying to cheer Elena up was much more difficult than she expected it to be. Of course she knew that the brunette could be pretty stubborn, though at the moment she could kill the woman. Elena wasn't even trying to smile, she just stared in front of her, not even listening to her friend. _

"_Elena?" the blonde asked, before repeating her question. _

"_You choose," was the only answer that left Elena's lips. She still couldn't believe that Damon wouldn't talk to her. What had she done wrong? She knew he had this crazy fight with Stefan, but__that didn't mean that he had the right to ignore her. _

"_Okay, Miss. Broody, if you don't want to choose, we'll watch the Notebook. It's my eternal favorite. I just can't seem to get bored of watching Noah and Allie together. They're like the perfect couple!" Caroline exclaimed happily, taking the disk out of its box and putting it in the DVD player. If you ever wanted to watch a chick flick, you certainly had to come by Caroline's house. Her DVD collection of romantic movies was spectacular and unrivaled. _

"_Did you already ask Stefan to move in together?" Elena asked, trying to start a conversation that didn't include the elder Salvatore. She wasn't really in the mood to watch a romantic movie, though she didn't want to disappoint Caroline. She knew the woman was trying her best to cheer her up, however it wasn't really working. _

"_I did, as a matter of fact," the blonde answered, a bright smile across her lips._

"_I take it went well," Elena answered happily when she saw her friend's lips curling upwards. She'd always known that the two of them were a cute couple and she was honestly looking forward to living together with them. _

"_It went very well," Caroline chirped, her smile widening even more. "He told me that he'd wanted to ask the question for a long time, though he had no idea if I was ready to take our relationship to the next level. He was afraid that he would scare me away, though I made sure that he knows just how happy I am to move in together."_

"_Did you already decide on a specific date?" the brunette questioned._

"_Not really, I'm just going to move my stuff gradually while staying at the boarding house more often than usual. That way, we'll get used to living together. After all, we've always taken our relationship slowly so why suddenly rush everything? I kind of like the pace and direction we're taking. My relationship with Stefan is very solid and I know I can trust him. We're very happy together. He's honestly the reason why I smile so much," Caroline explained, dreamily staring in front of her. _

"_You're the cutest couple I've seen in ages," Elena told her friend, before pushing the 'play' button to start watching the movie. The rest of the night went by quietly, both girls thinking about another Salvatore brother. _

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><p>Trying to forget about<em> him, <em>Elena went to her room and sat down in front of her desk. She still had a lot of work to do. Only three days ago**,** she started at the Mystic Falls Gazette, but she already got tons of assignments. Carol clearly had exaggerated her abilities to write, cause all the people at the Gazette seemed to be super excited about the fact that she accepted the offer to start working for the paper.

Work had been a nice distraction from her current worries and she truly loved her new job. Working for a local paper was entirely different from working for a city paper. She actually got to know the people she was writing about, all of them and not just one person that had to speak for all the others. It was very nice and she really liked her colleges. They were all friendly and had immediately accepted her in the group. She truly felt like she belonged there.

Her new boss, Maggie, had even asked her if she wanted to start her own blog. Apparently, she read a few of her articles and she thought Elena was very talented. Carol Lockwood had told her that Elena would like to write her own novels and Maggie seemed to be very interesting. Elena had been taken aback by her offer, she wasn't expecting such a huge opportunity before she even started working for them. She'd told the woman that she would think about it, however, she still hadn't made her decision yet.

Taking risks was never one of her habits, she liked to stay in control. Accepting the offer would mean that she could either fail miserably or become successful. It was a risk she didn't know if she wanted to take.

After ten minutes of staring at a blank Word document, she shut the computer down and took a deep breath. Her inspiration had been gone for the past days, and now she finally had a job. It was irritating. If she only could stop thinking about her blue eyed, charming housemate. She had to solve her issues before she would be able to start writing again. _He_ was the only thing she could think about which made it very difficult to become a successful writer. In order to overcome her boundaries, she had to talk to Damon which something she wasn't particularly looking forward to.

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><p>It was already late at night when Damon finally got home from work. He had been avoiding Elena for almost a week now and he missed her like crazy, but he knew it was for the best. He only wanted a casual relationship andshe wanted lots more, deserved more. She was an amazing girl who needed to find a nice guy that wanted to have a serious relationship with her; not some guy that only used her for sex.<p>

He couldn't offer her more than a few sleepovers because he wasn't the type to start dating seriously. He had been able to stay away from women like her for years now, though she was making it incredibly difficult not to take advantage of her innocence. He wanted her, it was as simple as that and, after last week, he knew for sure she wanted him, too. He should've never slept with her, though he didn't regret their night together, not at all. He knew it shouldn't have happened.

She wanted the whole fairytale: a white picket fence, kids, loving husband, and a cute, little was also the exact thing he couldn't give her. He was damaged goods, he didn't want a family of his own. After everything he went through during his youth, he didn't want to bring a child into this world. He was too afraid he would turn out to be more like his dad than he thought. He was afraid that he couldn't be who people wanted him to be.

He rather stay alone his entire life than try a relationship only to ripsomeone's heart out. He just couldn't be in a real relationship that was something he knew for sure. Elena had to realize that he wasn't who she was looking for and the only way to give her a chance at happiness was to leave her alone. She already cared too much.

Closing the door behind him, he placed his keys on the shelf and put his coat away. He hadn't seen a car in the driveway and thought he was the only one at home so, when he saw Elena standing in the middle of the living room, with adetermined look on her face, he was kind of surprised to say the least. He wasn't expecting an encounter with the girl that haunted his dreams for the past week. To be honest, he wasn't in the mood to talk to her either. He had a rough day at work and was not looking forward to a discussion with the beautiful brunette in front of him.

"Someone was trying to call you today and left a message," she told him softly, looking down at the floor. She chose her words carefully, trying to decide how to start the conversation. She knew she needed answers from him, though she had no idea what she had to do in order to get them. He wouldn't just give himself away and tell her his thoughts.

"You're friend Ric and his wife will be stopping by this week," Elena explained before finally looking up, her eyes piercing his before as she slowly started to walk towards him while swaying her hips with every step. Only a few centimeters away from him, she stopped abruptly and stared deeply into his eyes, as if trying to find the answers she was looking for.

"But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about," she finally said, taking his hand in hers. She was surprised when he didn't immediately pull back, though her victory didn't last long. He shortlytook a step back and turned around, starting to pace through the living room.

"I honestly don't know what you want me to say, Elena," he told her, not once turning to look at her. He was expecting her to say something like that, though he really didn't want to talk about it. It was hard enough to stay away from her after he knew how wonderful they could be together; however , them being together would only bring more trouble for the both of them. He was no good for her and she would only make him realize what he was missing out on. She was addicting in every way, though he was far from ready to start dating.

He couldn't trust anyone, not because he didn't want to, but because he just couldn't. There was always this fear that he would be let down. He knew how it felt to be hurt by someone, which was the exact reason why he kept his distance. He couldn't have a normal relationship as long as he had trust issues. "I think it's obvious by now that I'm keeping my distance. I don't want to hurt your feelings, Elena, but I also don't want a relationship with you," he added, a sting of pain ripping through his chest when he spoke the words. Somewhere deep down, he knew he wasn't being entirely honest.

"I never asked for a relationship, Damon. You made it pretty clear that you weren't interested in more than just sex and I had no problem agreeing to that. I don't regret what happened, not at all even, but I don't want this 'encounter' we had to ruin our friendship. I don't want you to stay away from me. I want you to be my friend. I _need_ you to be my friend," she told him passionately, taking a step closer and caressing his cheek, giving him an understandinglook.

"You say that now, but I know you, Elena. You're not the kind of girl that sleeps with a guy without wanting more. You may _think _that you're okay with the entire 'no strings attached' kind of relationship but, deep down, you're just lying to yourself. You want much more than that. You want a real relationship and that includes a diamond on your finger at some point. I'm not that guy; I won't ever be that guy. I've been through way too much to ever be that guy. So please, stay away from me. I'm bad news, Elena," he threw back with just as much fire and passion in his voice.

"How can you say that? You don't know me, Damon, you think you do. I'm still an adult. I can make my own decisions and, right now, I'm choosing to be your friend and stay close to you, whether you like it or not. And if anything more happens between us, well than that's just nature telling us we both have our needs. I won't ever drag you into something you don't want. I know you're not ready for a relationship of any kind and I'm not asking you to start one. I just want us to be friends and stay close."

"You honestly think that'll work? I can assure you that it won't take long before we're back between those sheets and then what? We just act like there's nothing going on between us? I can't make you happy, Elena. You're going to feel miserable when you realize that you do want more out of this."

"Oh please, you really think that I can't stay away from you?" she asked him, shaking her head. Did he honestly think that she would jump his bones the first chance she got? She stayed away from him the first weeks, she surely could do that again. It wasn't because they slept together that it would keep on happening.

"I'm sure you'll try, though we both know what happens when we give in to our lust," he fired back, taking a step closer until their bodies were touching. He took both her wrists in his hands and pulled her flush against him, pressing her lower body to his, making clear just how long it would take until they were back in bed together. "There's no denying that I want you, Elena. Hell, I would love to have an affair with you, but I'm trying to be better than that. I don't want to hurt you, but one way or another I will," he added, releasing her wrists and taking her chin in his hand so she would look him in the eye.

_No matter what, you will always hurt me_, she thought sadly. "I don't care about your warnings, Damon. I know that I want you in my life and you can try and fight as much as you want, but when I want something, I will make sure I get exactly that." It was the last thing she said before her lips attacked his. She kissed him with all the passion and hunger that she'd kept to herself for almost a week now. Their kiss was desperate and needy and ended just as abruptly as it begun.

"Well, I hope I at least gave you something to think about," were her last words before she left the room and ran upstairs.

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><p><strong>Day 23<strong>

Two days had passed since their heart to heart conversation and Elena felt kind of proud of herself. Ever since she'd kissed him, he'd started to act more and more like himself again. Although he didn't kiss her anymore, he did talk to her again. He even promised to cook another pasta dish tonight when she came back from work.

They had their civil conversations and silly banters, however she did miss the physical contact. He didn'teven touch her anymore, though she couldn't say she wasn't expecting this kind of behavior. He was still deflecting, trying not to push their boundaries. It wouldn't take much longer before something would happen. They were both practically walking on eggshells around each other. It was frustrating and tiresome and she truly hoped that their relationship would soon be back to normal, whatever that meant.

Being separated from him had given her the needed time to think things through. The realization that a plain and simple friendship between them wouldn't work anymore had occurred to her more than once. However, she still tried to stay positive and hope they'd find a way to rebuild their bond. The only thing she knew for sure was that she wanted him close to her side, no matter the cost.

Although he had been right, she was indeed not the kind of girl that slept with men without expecting more out of her relationship. However, she was willing to take the risk if it meant being with him. The past days had clearly showed her that she already cared too much about him. She was slowly starting to develop deeper feelings for him, feelings that went beyond a simple friendship. She could almost feel herself falling for him, step by step, drowning deeper into the darkness that surrounded him.

He wasn't ready to have a serious relationship with anyone. She knew that and accepted the fact that he didn't want more at the moment. He deserved to be loved deeply, he deserved to have a strong connection with someone. And even when she knew it was foolish, she kept hoping that, that girl would be her.

But before any of that was possible, she needed to connect with him on a different level and earn his trust. It was the only way they would ever be able to have more than a physical relationship. He needed to trust her not to hurt him, to let her inside that head of his**,** and talk to her openly instead of hiding behind that mask he created.

So instead of pushing his buttons and ordering him to talk to her about his, she simply let him be while trying to find a way to make him trust her. He was already much more open to her than in the beginning, though she suspected that he needed time, lots of time, to get over his issues. He clearly never talked about his youth, instead he bottled everything up. He was like a ticking time-bomb running around, ready to explode at a moment notice. He needed to clear his head and pour out his soul in order to get past his problems. However, he didn't seem to be ready to take the next step.

Parking her car in front of the boarding house, Elena walked inside. Once she closed the door behind her, the smell of delicious food hit her senses and a smile was placed on her lips. She'd almost forgotten just how much of a great cook Damon Salvatore actually was. Every time he made something especially for her, she had to do her best to bite back the moan that would often leave her lips when she tasted the food. He was a remarkable cook and had great talent. She truly believed he would be able to organize his own restaurant and make a huge success out of it.

After putting her coat on the peg and taking of her shoes, she walked towards the kitchen. Today had been the first time that she had seen one of her articles published in the Gazette and she actually felt quite proud. Most people had congratulated her and told her she was a very talented writer.

Her job was very diversified and she felt content working with her colleges. She actually enjoyed going to work, which was a relief after working in San Francisco for so many years. It was the first time in her life that she was actually looking forward to going to work.

When she walked in, Damon was busy stirring the sauce. He quickly gave her one of his typical smirks before finishing their meal. He was in quite a good mood today, she noticed. He usually ignored her presence when she walked into _his_ territory, in other words the kitchen. "Evening, beautiful," he winked, giving her one of his charming smiles. He truly was a professional at making her blush. The effect he had on her body was just incredibly powerful and became more intense every time he looked at her.

"Hi," she answered joyfully, leaning against the other side of the cooking island. He was using his magic in the kitchen and she couldn't wait to taste the dish. Today, he was making her another kind of pasta. After the many Carbonara's and Spaghetti's, he wanted to show her something different: a Tagliatelle with king prawns and lobster sauce. It was one of his new recipes and he wanted her to try it and give her honest opinion before he put it on the menu, at the Grill.

"How was your day?" he asked her casually, while decorating the plate. He first put the Tagliatelle in the middle before pouring a little oil on top of it with sliced onion. After that, he put the vegetables and king prawns on top of the pasta and finished the meal with a few tablespoons of lobster sauce. It looked fantastic and smelled even better.

"Very good, actually. My first few articles got published," she told him, a wide smile across her lips. She still couldn't quite believe it. She never thought that she would be able to publish an article so closely after they hired her. Back in the city, it took her almost a year before Mark actually let her write an entire article. Most of the time, she had to work as an assistant for one of her colleges.

"I noticed. I read the Gazette at work this morning. You truly are talented" he complimented, before putting their plates on the kitchen table and helping her in her chair, like a true gentleman.

"Thank you," she answered shyly, her cheeks once again burning like a wild fire. She gave him a quick smile before taking a bite of her food. No matter how high her expectations were, every time he seemed to surpass them. The pasta was absolutely exquisite and she was impressed for the hundredth time that month. He was a true talent at almost everything he did; it was becoming quite scary to see what perfection looked like.

"I don't think I've ever tasted something quite as amazing as this," she told him while taking another bite and emptying her plate at a quite remarkable pace. She just couldn't seem to get enough of the delicious pasta. Honestly, it was soon becoming her favorite dish.

"I'm glad you like it," he answered, smiling proudly. He would probably never admit it out loud, but he truly had been anxious to let her taste his new recipe. For some reason, it seemed to be very important that Elena liked his new pasta. He constantly tried to impress her without actually realizing it.

After the conversation about their current relationship, he had been thinking a lot about her and what she meant to him. He came to the realization that he wouldn't know what to do without her anymore and it scared the hell out of him. He'd even started his old, little drinking habit the day before. Luckily**,** Elena hadn't noticed him coming home last night, drunk as a skunk. She probably would've been disappointed and that was exactly what he was trying to avoid.

In the morning, he'd promised to make her dinner. He just wanted to do something nice for her after being such an idiot. Even if she didn't know he'd been drinking, he still felt bad about it. He wanted to be a better man for her, another realization that had freaked him out at first.

He knew that if he wanted to get away from whatever was going on between them, he had to run fast! However, something was keeping him right in place. Deep down, he actually wanted her to be his girlfriend. That probably scared him most out of everything. He'd never wanted to be in a relationship again after Katherine happened. Still, here he was, slowly falling in love a beautiful brunette.

It was already too late to get away and he knew it damn well. He was even trying his best to learn to trust her; however, it wasn't as easy as he thought it would be. Over the years, he'd built a solid wall. He never realized just how secluded he had come. There wasn't a single person he talked openly to, not even his best friend, Ric.

He still had a long way to go if he ever wanted to have a normal relationship, but he was trying. That seemed to be themost important thing at the moment. Although he hadn't talked to Elena about it because he didn't want her to get her hopes up. He couldn't promise that he'd ever want more than a 'friends with benefits relationship'.

"Where did you learn how to cook?" Elena asked, while putting the plates in the dishwasher. She simply wanted to start a conversation, but she did not realize just how personal the question actually was.

"A long time ago," he answered softly, closing his eyes for a second and picturing his mother in front of him. He still remembered her as if it was yesterday. She had been the most important person in his life; she had been his rock, his best friend. Losing her had been like losing a part of himself. Suddenly, he was all alone in the world.

Every single time he looked in the mirror, he thought of her, seeing her beautiful, ocean blue eyes staring back at him. She had been an amazing woman, always full of life and smiling at every single person she met. She had been his true example sowhen she passed away, she took an important part of him with her. His smiles were never as bright anymore.

"My mom was actually the first one to ever show me how to cook," he went on, taking Elena by surprise. She hadn't expected him to talk about his mom. "She was a very passionate Italian who loved cooking. She always dreamed of having her own Italian restaurant, however, Giuseppe wanted to move to the States because of his job. He tore her dream into pieces when they arrived here because he wanted her to become a housewife that took care of the children. He didn't want her to reach her goal because he was so self-absorbed. All he wanted was to make his own dreams come true. He didn't realize how important her dream actually was to her until it was already too late."

He took a deep breath before going on, taking Elena's hand in his. "After that, Giuseppe kind of lost his mind. He didn't care about anything anymore. He'd realized too late how much my mom meant to him and he knew damn well that it was his fault that she didn't get to live her life fully. My mother had always been the sunshine in our family. She was kind and passionate, but more importantly, full of love. She was the best mother I could imagine and she showed me some pretty important things when I was little. Her passion for cooking was something that inspired me. It was our thing and it was also the only thing that kept me going after she passed away," he told her, quickly looking away when he felt tears welling up. He didn't cry, he was stronger than that!

They finished the dishes and without another word, he took a step back and ran upstairs. At the top, he glanced back at Elena before running towards his room.

The entire night, he lay awake in bed because every time he closed his eyes, he saw Elena's sad face with a single tear rolling down her cheek.

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><p><strong>Like I told you guys in my replies to the reviews, this chapter included some huge progress on Damon's account. He's still far from being ready for a relationship, though he's trying to open up to Elena. <strong>

**Please let me know your thoughts and leave me a review! **

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**xoxo**


	11. Meeting the Best Friend

**A/N: Longer wait than usual, I know! Although I hope it was worth it!**

** As always, A big thank you to my beta Jamie and pre-reader Bibi! I wouldn't know what to do without these two wonderful ladies! ;) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries, however I do consider the plot line as mine!**

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

_**Chapter 10**_

**Meeting The Best Friend**

**Day 23**

Damon was lying awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. He still couldn't quite believe that he told Elena about his mother. It was the first time in his life that he ever told someone about his past; those memories were too personal to talk about. He didn't talk about his mother, not even with Stefan. However, it actually felt quite good, like a huge weight was finally lifted from his shoulders.

He had never really believed that talking to someone would help to move past things but, after tonight's events, he knew he had been wrong all along. He truly felt better after talking to Elena. He finally talked aloud about his mother and the important role she played in his life. He had never really taken the time to mourn her; he didn't get a chance to.

Giuseppe had never been a great father; on the contrary, after his mother passed away, he became a monster. The monster he was today. The man only cared for one person besides himself, and that had been Cecilia. The day she died was also the day Giuseppe had started to hate his sons; they reminded him too much of what he'd lost.

All those years, Damon had kept quiet. He didn't talk about his mother, nor did he talk to his father. He just packed all his belongings as soon as he turned eighteen and ran away from home to live with his brother. At first, he thought that Giuseppe would come looking for them, but the man was too selfish to care. He never even tried to find them; he just gave up on his sons and tried to forget that they ever existed.

A few years back, Damon had tried to look for his dad. He had been ready to talk to his father and try to forgive him; however, the man hadn't even been interested. He just ignored his presence and told Damon that he didn't have any sons. In fact,he was a widower without children. It had pained him deeply to hear his father talking about them like that, like they never even meant a thing to him.

He never told Stefan, though. He didn't want his brother to get hurt. He knew Stefan still cared for their father and hoped that they would become a family again. Only Damon knew that something like that would never happen, he wasn't naïve enough to believe that his father would change his mind.

A silent knock on his bedroom door made him look up in surprise, it was already past midnight and he wasn't exactly expecting any visitors so late at night. When Elena came walking in, wearing nothing but those cute pajamas of hers, he had to gulp quickly. He gave her a confused look, making her smile shyly.

"I couldn't sleep," she told him softly, before plopping down on the bed beside him. She layon top of the covers while she stared at the ceiling, just like he did only a few minutes ago.

"Me either," he said, turning around to lay on his side so he could watch her. He noticed the serious look on her face and wondered what she was thinking about. He clearly wasn't the only one who had been musing about their previous conversation. At first, he wanted to ask her what she was thinking about, but he decided against the idea and waited until she started talking herself.

It didn't take long before she turned around, too, and looked him deeply in the eyes. They were only a few centimeters apart now. If he would just lean in, their lips would be touching but he didn't want to take the risk of scaring her away. He actually liked having her in his bed; it gave him a weird kind of satisfaction to see her lying next to him. Deep down, he wished she would always be there with him.

"You know, I've lost my mom too," she told him, not realizing she was about to tell him the most personal details of her past. She'd kept things a secret for way too long and she knew she could trust him. He deserved to know something about her past too, since he told her a few very personal things about his youth.

He gave her an understanding look, suddenly feeling the need to hug her, to wrap his arms around her tiny frame and keep her there, away from anything that could harm her. He decided against the idea. He was afraid she would push him away and he couldn't afford that, not when he was so close to actually getting to know her. He hadn't expected her to open up to him, not after the way she kept giving him vague answers to all the personal questions he ever asked her. They were actually more alike than he'd thought. They both had endured a difficult past and wanted to try to forget about it.

"I had just turned sixteen when I found out she had gotten lung cancer. At first she kept it a secret, though when she realized how serious her illness was, she told me. She'd been fighting the disease for a few months, but she was slowly losing the battle. Not long after that she passed away, leaving me all alone with no family left. My dad and younger brother died in a car accident when I was little, but I don't remember them. I don't think my mom ever got over losing them; she wasn't what you call a happy woman. She drank a lot, didn't have much time for me, and kind of wallowed in her own pain. She never realized that I was hurting, too. I know she wanted to be a good mom, honestly she tried her best, but she didn't really succeed. I've endured some pretty hard years. All this made me stronger in the end, but going through each day had not been an easy task."

During her speech, Damon had somehow pulled her closer and she was now lying on his chest with tears threatening to spill onto her face. It had been a long time since she last talked about her youth. Bonnie and she kind of tried to avoid the subject because most of the time it only made her more depressed. However, telling Damon felt like a relief. At least now, he could finally understand why she kept avoiding personal questions.

After that, they didn't talk anymore. They just laid there in each other's arms until sleep took them away into a peaceful slumber, free from the haunting memories of the past.

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><p><strong>Day 25<strong>

Damon's friend Alaric and his wife Jenna would be visiting today, which was why Elena had been cleaning the house the entire morning. After Caroline had moved in yesterday morning, the house looked like a bomb had exploded in it.

They surely had to make a few rules about housekeeping and grocery shopping or it wouldn't take long before the first fight would take place. Elena had always liked to live in a clean home. She hated it when everything looked messy. Her housemates on the other hand didn't seem to mind. She didn't dare to think about all the dirty things she found during the past hour or so. There were even pizza leftovers lying in the couch!

A few minutes ago, Damon had arrived home. He'd been out to find decent ingredients to make a fabulous dinner for when his friends arrived. It had been a while since the last time he saw his buddy, because Ric and Jenna had been on their honeymoon for the last three weeks. He looked very happy and was relieved that he was finally seeing them again.

The past two days had been wonderful, Elena thought smiling. After her heart to heart conversation with Damon, they continued to get to know each other even better. He told her a few new things about himself and she did the same. It felt really good to be closer to him, to actually see the progress they were making. She never realized how important it was to her that he would open up.

She could still remember the morning she had woken up after sleeping in the same bed as he. The look on his face had been so peaceful that she didn't think she'd ever seen him look more beautiful. At first she hadn't want to wake him up, so instead she'd kept staring at him like a creep. However, it didn't take long before he started to stir and woke up himself. The lazy smile on his lips when he saw her lying next to him had made her heartbeat speed up rapidly. It had been the first time they had woken up together.

The following moments had gone by silently since they'd kept staring at each other, both lost in thoughts. However, Stefan had stormed into the room, totally unaware of the fact that he would walk in on both Damon and Elena. He wanted to know if Damon could help to move Caroline's stuff so he'd been in shock when he opened the door. After that, he of course had to tell a certain blonde chatterbox about what happened and it took Elena a little over a hour to get Caroline to finally calm down and stop jumping around in joy; her plan succeeded.

Even today, the blonde couldn't stop chattering about how great of a cupid she had been. If it hadn't been for her friend, she'd probably never would have gone on a date with Damon and then ended up in bed with him. Without Caroline, they would still be walking on eggshells around each other, not daring to admit that they felt a certain attraction towards one another.

"Damon, could you zip me up?" Elena yelled from inside her bedroom. After she'd cleaned the house, she ran upstairs to take a shower and make herself ready. She wanted to look decent when she first met Alaric; it was never bad to leave a good impression on someone, especially when it was the best friend of someone close to you.

She was still hoping that Damon would change his mind about the entire relationship thing, though she was not planning on pushing his limits. He was too stubborn for that; he always reacted entirely the opposite way of what she wanted him to.

A few seconds later he came walking, a smirk across his features when he saw she was wearing his favorite dress. It was the one she wore on their date too. "What is it with you and zippers?" he questioned, laughing while he helped her out.

"I dunno. I guess I'm still not used to wearing dresses with these incredibly difficult zippers," she told him smiling, a shiver going through her spine when his fingertips touched her bare back. Damn the reaction her body had to his touch. She could feel her cheeks flush bright red from a single brush of his fingertips. Her body was entirely too sensitive.

"Well, you could always go running around in your underwear," he said smirking, taking a step back when he was done with her dress. "Or without any clothes," he whispered in thick voice, his lips brushing against her ear shell before he stepped out of her reach.

Elena's cheeks had become bright red while her panties soaked. He was being entirely inappropriate; however her body seemed to like his dirty talking very much. She closed her eyes for a second, ready to retort a snarky comment. Instead, all the words got stuck in her throat when she opened them and saw the lust reflecting in Damon's eyes.

Before she could over-think anything, she took a step towards him, threw her arms around his neck, and pushed her body flush against his. She hungrily attacked his lips, forgetting about everything he told her about not wanting a relationship. She kissed him with all the passion she had, moaning deeply when he finally reacted and opened his mouth so she could slip her tongue inside, exploring his divine taste. Her left hand was now tangled in his hair, while she pulled him closer with the right one. It seemed like she couldn't pull him close enough, she wanted more and more.

Damon had been surprised when she kissed him, however it was exactly where he had been longing for. The bulge in his pants became painfully hard, while his hands travelled lower and lower until he reached the hem of her dress and pulledit higher until she could easily straddle him. Within seconds, he'd pulled her onto the bed with him and started to massage her soft breasts through the fabric of the satin dress, her nipples hardening instantly.

Moaning loudly, Elena threw her head back. She dug her nails into his shoulders and started to rock her hips back and forth to create more friction. Just when she wanted to take of a few layers of his clothes, the doorbell rang, bringing them back from their little utopia. She let out a huff, sighing in annoyance while she slowly stood up, still panting heavily.

Damon on the other hand had to blink a few times before he finally realized what the hell was happening. He couldn't believe he'd let his walls down _again_, though he didn't regret their little ministration. He was just starting to enjoy their evening. With a smirk on his face, he gave Elena a quick peck on the lips before running downstairs to open the front door. He hopedit wasn't too obvious what he'd been doing only seconds ago.

Elena needed more time to recover from their heated kiss, her makeup was now smeared over her face and she had to erase the wrinkles out of her beautiful dress. She couldn't believe she kissed him again! She was supposed to keep her distance until he was ready for more than just sex, but no, of course she had to ruin it by herself. Those damned hormones! She was clearly giving him mixed signals now.

After a few minutes she descended the stairs, a tad nervous because she was finally meeting Damon's friend, Ric, and his wife. She could already hear them laughing from a distance and, when she walked into the living room, she saw the three of them sitting in the couch, drinking a glass of Italian white wine. It was the same Damon always used when he made her dinner, it wasn't too expensive and it tasted delicious.

"Hello, everyone," she spoke, smiling shyly. Luckily**,** Damon immediately broke the ice by asking her if she wanted a glass of wine, too. He introduced her as a good friend, which somehow made her feel a little sad. While she knew he wasn't ready to call her his girlfriend,that didn't mean that she couldn't hope that he'd ever call her his girl.

"I've heard a lot about you," Jenna said smiling, when she sat down next to her while the men were busy talking about the latest football game. "Damon called Ric at least ten times this week and the only thing I kept hearing was your name; you must have left a serious impression on him," the woman laughed.

Elena didn't really know how to react to that so she just smiled. She didn't even know that Damon talked about her to his friends. "So how do you like living here?" the woman asked curiously.

Elena guessed she was in her early thirties. Jenna looked like a very friendly person and Elena immediately felt comfortable around her, something that came as a surprise since she usually took her a long time to feel comfortable around someone new. "I love this small town. It's entirely different from where I've lived before but everyone here was very welcoming and nice to me," she told Jenna.

"Oh, I know what you mean. I've lived in big cities for years until I met Ric. He charmed his way into my life and we quickly moved in together. It was the first time I'd ever visited Mystic Falls. However, I truly like living here. The only things I miss are the shopping centers and discotheques. It's so quiet in this town."

"I know, right. I never realized how loud a city is until I moved here. After dark, it's eerily quiet outside," The two women kept talking about their former lives in the city while Damon and Alaric started to prepare the starters in the kitchen.

* * *

><p>The time flew by and before Elena realized it, it was already past ten and the happy couple was leaving them. Dinner went perfectly well and it had been a long time since Elena enjoyed herself that much. Jenna was a lovely person and, for some reason, she actually reminded Elena of her mother Miranda. Alaric on the other hand was kind of a weirdo. He was fascinated by vampires and truly believed they existed. Elena thought it was a little crazy, though she didn't show them in any way that she actually thought the man was out of his mind. She didn't want to leave a bad impression and she actually liked Jenna too much to hurt the woman's feelings.<p>

"It was lovely meeting you, Elena," the woman smiled, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "I finally understand why Damon's so fond of you," she added softly so no one but Elena would hear her.

Elena blushed a little before hugging Jenna and telling her goodbye. The couple left the boarding house hand in hand, looking perfect together. Jenna seemed to have found her soul mate, Elena thought dreamily before walking towards the kitchen table to clean the mess they had made.

"You did more than enough already," Damon whispered in her ear, while coming to stand behind her and wrapping his arms around her frame. "We'll clean it up in the morning," he added before turning her around and pulling her flush against him. He nuzzled his face in her neck while he started to leave butterfly kisses on her shoulder blade. "I've been thinking about this the entire night," he told her, his voice just a few octaves lower than the last time he spoke.

Her heart was now thundering so loudly that she was afraid that it would jump out of her chest. She let out a soft moan when he started suckling on her pulse point. He was truly a master at working her zipper because, in less than a second, her dress was lying on the floor. She quickly stepped out of it and wrapped her legs around his waist.

He gently put her down on the couch, making sure not to crush her with his weight when he lay on top of her. During their little trip towards the sofa, Elena had been able to open the first three buttons of his dress shirt.

While one of her hands were tangled in his hair, the other one went down, lower and lower until she could finally caress the growing bulge in his pants. Damon let out a hiss and pulled at her hair roughly, making her moan in their kiss. "I can't wait to be buried deep inside of your wetness," he told her huskily, squeezing her ass.

"Then what are you waiting for?" she asked him, smiling wickedly before unbuttoning his jeans with a pop. Suddenly, everything went really quickly and, within a minute, their clothes were spread over the entire living room.

"Damn, you're so wet for me," Damon groaned when he touched her most intimate parts. Elena's eyes rolled to the back of her head, while he started to pump his finger inside her at a fast pace. She released a loud moan when he caressed her clit, twitching it between his fingers. He was officially too good at this she thought, close to entering heaven.

He knew so damn well what she wanted, though just before she would reach her peek, he pulled away giving her one of his brightest smirks. "You're evil," she told him whimpering at the loss.

"Don't worry, I'm far from done with you," he told before attacking her lips once more. Their tongues met in a battle for dominance, neither of them wanted to give in.

"I need you, now!" Elena demanded when she broke the kiss, pushing him down on the couch and straddling his hips. She was done waiting; she wanted him right _then_ and _there_. She always loved being in control, certainly when it meant she could dominate Damon for a little while.

"Take what you want, babe," he told her winking, before sucking one of her nipples into his mouth and making her throw her head back in ecstasy.

"Oh don't worry, I will," she promised him, through moans. He was doing a magnificent job as always and she was having a hard time focusing. He could play her body like an instrument and while it was nice most of the time, it was also quite annoying when she wanted to take control herself.

Without further ado, she positioned herself above his member and slowly pushed down, letting him enter her inch by inch andstretch her inner walls. He filled her to the hilt, making her moan in appreciation. Once her inner muscles got used to his size, she slowly started to ride him, her nails scratching his chest.

"Fuck! You feel so good," she cursed, her breath becoming erratic. After a while, she changed the angle so he'd be hitting her G-spot with every thrust. She was sure her body would be exploding any second by the way her heart was beating frantically.

"Harder, faster!" she yelled, while coming closer and closer to reaching her supernova. Always the gentleman, Damon complied and speed up the pace, pumping into her rapidly. She was so damned tight and it was becoming hard to keep his lower body in control.

Within a minute**,** her walls started to clamp around his dick, squeezing him tightly, taking her away in waves of pleasure. He came right after her, making her orgasm even more intense when she felt him spill his seed deep inside of her. Her head was spinning and she had trouble breathing.

They were both panting heavily when they came down from their high, Elena lying on top of Damon's chest, her eyes closed tightly. "That was amazing," she said with a hoarse voice.

"You were amazing," he told her, softly caressing her cheek while she opened her eyes to look at him. She gave him a lazy smile before nestling her face in the crook of his neck.

Damon gave her a quick peck on her forehead before pulling a blanket from underneath the couch and draping it over their bodies. "I could stay like this forever," he told her softly, wrapping his arms around her petite frame.

"Me too," she whispered right before falling asleep in his arms.

* * *

><p>Exactly one hour later, Caroline and Stefan arrived home. They'd gone out for dinner since they didn't want to interrupted their friends evening. Stefan had only met Alaric once so he wasn't planning on joining them. Most of the time, Damon hung out with Ric at a bar or at his place. That's why Stefan probably didn't know the guy that well.<p>

He would rather have a little rendezvous with his girlfriend in a fancy restaurant than stay at home anyway. "Oh my gosh, you should see them!" he heard Caroline squeal when they walked inside the boarding house.

Rolling his eyes, he looked at the spot Caroline's was pointing at and a confused look came across his face. His brother was lying on the couch with Elena in his arms. Even with the little blanket hovering over their bodies, they still looked quite exposed. It wasn't hard to put two and two together to realize what had happened that night. Of course he knew that there was more going on between them after he walked in on them only two days ago. However, he didn't think they'd become a couple for real. Damon usually didn't let the same girl in his bed twice.

"I just hope he's not taking advantage of her," Stefan said softly, looking at Caroline.

"Oh come on, you know you brother better than that! He's crazy about her, he'd never hurt her on purpose," his girlfriend told him, turning towards the staircase which headed toward their bedroom.

"Maybe not on purpose, but you'll see," the younger brother answered, following his girlfriend upstairs. He knew that Damon cared about Elena; maybe he had even deeper feelings for her than that. However, he also knew that Damon had been through a few rough years. He'd been hurt deeply and Stefan wasn't sure that anyone could ever repair the damage.

* * *

><p><strong>Judgy Stefan does not approve of their relationship! Luckily we have Caroline to change his mind! ;)<strong>

**Elena opened up to Damon as well and their relationship will only develop during the next few chapters. However, more drama is always lurking around the corner. **

**Please leave a review and let me know what you think! It helps to make me write faster! **

**xoxo**


	12. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

**A/N: A really quick update! Don't you all love me? ;) You should thank Bibi she's the reason I updated so quickly! **

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine. **

**_Thank you for beta reading this chapter Bibi and Jamie. You girls are amazing!_ **

* * *

><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

_**Chapter 11**_

**What doesn't kill you makes you stronger**

**Day 30**

Today, Bonnie would be visiting Mystic Falls and Elena was getting kind of anxious. She hadn't seen her friend in almost a month and she was nervous to see her again. Being in the small town had changed Elena and she wasn't sure if Bonnie would like the new her. However, she decided not to worry about it too much because Damon would be by her side. He'd promised to be there since he knew how anxious Elena was.

He had been so sweet the past week that she almost couldn't believe he was still the same Damon she had met a month ago. It was wonderful to be this close to him and he actually seemed to be changing his mind about the whole relationship thing; He was acting like a boyfriend. They made love almost every day, he made her breakfast every single morning, and at night they would cuddle in front of the television.

She wondered if he actually realized what was happening between them, however she didn't talk about it. She was afraid that he'd put distance between them if she began a conversation about their feelings.

Shaking her head, she ran upstairs towards Caroline's bedroom. She wanted to look good tonight when she saw Bonnie again, so she decided to go on a little shopping adventure. Who better to ask than fashionista Caroline Forbes? After her little makeover, she was constantly trying on new things which even included dresses!

After she knocked on the door, she waited for a response from her friend so that she could come in. However, she didn't hear the blonde. Instead, Stefan opened the door. "Good morning Elena," he said politely, stepping outside and closing the door behind him.

"Hi, is something wrong with Care?" she questioned, surprised that he'd closed the door behind him.

"Yeah, I think she got the flu. She's been up all night, though she fell asleep about an hour ago," the younger brother explained, looking worried.

"That's not good at all. Have you called a doctor, yet?" Elena asked, keeping her voice down, not wantingto wake up her friend.

"As a matter of fact, I was just going to. You didn't need her for anything important, did you?" he questioned politely.

"No, don't worry. I just wanted to know if she was up for a little shopping trip," Elena told him smiling, before turning around and running downstairs. Although she was worried about her friend, she was also kind of disappointed. She really wanted to look for a nice outfit, but she didn't know who else she could ask to go out.

Looking at her watch, she saw it was almost ten in the morning. She knew Damon didn't have a lunch break until after two o'clock, though she decided that a little visit wouldn't harm anyone. It wasn't like his boss would fire him because he said hello to his… _friend _with benefits? Yeah, who was she actually to him? Not a girlfriend, but not a friend either... real friends don't sleep with each other.

Speaking of, she couldn't even remember how many times they'd 'slept' with each other anymore. The past five days, they'd fucked like bunnies; it was unbelievable. She didn't think she had ever had so much sex in her entire life. For some reason, they just couldn't seem to keep their hands of each other.

At first when she'd woken up with him, lying quite comfortably on top of his chest, she'd been a tad afraid that he'd start to put distance between them. However, quite the opposite happened when he woke up. Instead of putting on his clothes and leaving for work, he taken her upstairs and continued their lovemaking for another three rounds before he finally left. Of course, he was very late. His boss hadn't exactly been in the greatest mood when Damon arrived two hours later than usual.

The more time they spent together, the more she wanted to be with him. She knew she was falling in love with him and she was falling hard! She never thought he'd be such a great guy, yet every single day he kept surprising her. This morning, he hadleft her a red rose on the pillow with a 'good morning' note. It was so cute.

In the beginning, she hadn't been sure if it was a good idea to move into his room. However, they spent more time in there than anywhere else in the house. He hadn't exactly asked her, but they kept ending up in his bed together. She had even asked him if he wanted her to leave the bedroom, but he just pulled her closer.

Even Caroline had been surprised at first when she saw them walking downstairs together. Although it wasn't like the blonde wasn't expecting that kind of outcome, after all, she'd been the one that wanted them to be together so badly. Elena actually felt quite comfortable in their current situation. Even if Damon didn't want them to be together _officially_, they were already kind of 'together'.

A few minutes later, she arrived at the Grill. The bartender immediately recognized her and told her he'd tell Damon that she was there. The past weeks she'd dropped by often. Most of his coworkers knew that there was something going on between the two of them after the blind date.

Regardless of what people speculated, no one really knew whether they were in a serious relationship or not. Elena didn't want everyone to know that Damon didn't want to be in a relationship. She was worried that girls like Rebekah would go running after him again. Speaking of, the blonde girl had been freaking mad when she found out her cousin had set the two of them up. She couldn't understand how Caroline would rather set Elena up with Damon than with her.

"Hi, beautiful," she heard Damon say when he came into her view. She smiled up at him before pulling him into a hug and kissing his cheek. "What are you doing here?" he asked her when they broke apart.

"Caroline's sick, so now I've no one to go shopping with," she answered pouting.

"Aw, that's so sad," Damon replied while copying her facial expressions.

"Damon!" she said, raising her voice and hitting his chest playfully.

"I'm sorry, Lena, but I really can't go with you," he told her honestly, taking both her hands in his. "I've to work until late tonight. However, you could ask Jenna if she wants to go out with you. She really likes shopping, though Ric hates going with her," he suggested, smiling up at her.

"Are you sure she would wantto go out with _me_?" Elena questioned softly. She didn't really know Jenna, but she did think the woman was quite friendly. At dinner, she'd really enjoyed her company.

"Of course, why wouldn't she? You two seemed to get along very well at dinner the other night," he said. He'd been quite surprised when she spoke so openly to his best friend's wife. He knew Elena usually was kind of buttoned-up. It had been a relief that the two of them liked each other. He and Ric had been friends for quite a while now and he would've been disappointed if Jenna and Elena didn't get along. It wouldn't be easy for their friendship so, luckily, it turned out to go really well and he suspected that Elena actually wanted to be friends with Jenna.

"Ok, you're probably right. Do you have her number?" she asked him, taking her cell phone out of her purse.

"I'm always right," he told her cockily before pulling his phone out of his pocket and giving her the number she needed.

"No, you think you're always right. There's a difference," she smirked, giving him a quick peck on the lips before leaving him behind.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, she arrived at Jenna's house. The woman had been quite surprised with her call; however, she was glad that Elena wanted to become friends. Immediately, she agreed to go on a shopping trip so they would get to know each other better.<p>

Elena knew how much Alaric meant to Damon, so she found it important that she would befriend the couple. She didn't want to come between Damon and his friends, so she figured that getting to know them was a great plan. At least now, there wouldn't be awkwardness between them when they went out together.

She rang the doorbell before taking a step back, anxiously waiting for Jenna to open the door. While standing there, she looked around a little and realized that the couple lived in a very nice neighborhood. Across from the house, there was a small park that was the perfect playground for children to play on. On the left side of the park, there were two swings, a slide, and a tree house. On the other side stood a picnic table, with a few benches for parents to rest on. The place was surrounded by trees and beautiful plants which made it look kind of cozy. It was perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon with the children.

Just when she was going ring the bell for a second time, the door opened and revealed a half dressed Jenna. "I'm so sorry, Elena!" the woman apologized, her cheeks red from embarrassment. "I only wanted to take a quick bath before leaving the house and I must have fallen asleep."

Elena gave the woman a polite smile before walking inside the house and told her that it wasn't a problem. They headed towards the living room where Elena would wait while Jenna finished getting herself ready. She sat down on the couch and looked around, her eyes falling on a beautiful picture on the wall. In the picture, Jenna, Ric, and Damon were smiling broadly. It would be an understatement to say that Damon looked good; he looked absolutely stunning and she felt her heart make tiny summersaults in her chest. It must have been a photo from a few years back since everyone in the picture looked much younger. However, they hadn't changed much over the years.

Ten minutes had passed when Jenna finally walked into the living room again. Apparently**,** the woman was about as punctual as Caroline when it came to making herself ready. She was wearing a beautiful red tank top paired with a black jeans and high heels. "You look beautiful," Elena complimented, smiling brightly.

"Thanks. You don't look too bad yourself," Jenna smiled, winking at Elena before taking her keys from the table. The two women walked outside and decided that Elena would be driving because she could easily drop Jenna off after their little shopping trip. While the brunette walked towards the car, Jenna closed the front door and locked it. She left a key underneath the doormat so Ric would be able to come in when he came home from work. Alaric had been clumsy enough to drop his own key above a drain in the street. The well was far too deep and Ric couldn't reach for the key anymore.

"How did you actually find out you owned a house in Mystic Falls?" Jenna asked when she sat down in the passenger seat of the car. She heard a few things about the girl from Damon, though he hadn't told her any specific details.

She also suspected that there was more going on between the two of them than a simple friendship. The secret, lingering looks between them hadn't gone unnoticed at dinner. Even if she was pretty sure about it, she chose not to open the subject today. Elena was still kind of a stranger to her and she didn't want to scare the girl away with her curiosity.

"To make a long story short, my notary called and told me I inherited a house from my uncle. I never knew him. No one ever told me about him and he probably didn't even know he had a niece. He didn't have any other family members left but me, which is what made me inherent the place," Elena told her, keeping out as many details as she could.

"Oh… I'm sorry for your loss," Jenna said awkwardly, not knowing what else to say. _Great move_, she thought gloomily. She regrettedthe fact that she immediately had to ask a loaded question. How could she ever become friends with the girl if she kept saying the wrong things?

"Don't worry about it," Elena answered, letting out a deep breath. Jenna lived only a few blocks from the mall, so they arrived there rather quickly. It was crowded today and Elena had to drive around a few times before she finally found a place to park.

"Do you already know what you're looking for?" Jenna asked, stepping out of the car.

"Not really, to be honest. I just want to look okay when I see my friend Bonnie again," Elena told her, putting on her coat and locking the door.

"I'm sure you miss her. Damon told me thatyou guys haven't seen each other for almost a month," Jenna explained.

"I miss her, an awful lot actually. We've been friends since kindergarten and I can't imagine a life without her. She's an amazing, sweet and caring person. Most of all, she's a great friend-the best you can imagine even," she said proudly, picturing Bonnie in front of her. A smile appeared on her lips while she walked towards the entrance of the building with Jenna beside her.

* * *

><p>About three hours later, Elena and Jenna walked out of the shopping mall with their hands full of bags filled with a bunch of clothes. She found the perfect dress for tonight. It was strapless, dark-purple, and ended right above the knee. She even bought a pair of matching panties, taking into consideration the taste of a certain Salvatore as she chose them.<p>

Jenna had turned out to be a great shopping partner and she truly enjoyed their afternoon together. It almost felt like she finally had a big sister. They laughed together, talked about the silliest things in life, and gossiped about the villagers. She could certainly picture Jenna as a great friend.

"Do you want me to drop you off at home or will you drive towards to Grill with me and have an afternoon snack?" Elena asked when she started the engine of her mini cooper.

"I'd love to, but I have to get back home. It's Wednesday, so Ric will be home early today and I promised him to spend the afternoon together. At least what's left of it," Jenna told her, smiling wickedly.

"Sure, we can always do it some other time," she said, smiling back.

A few miles further, they stopped at a gas station. Elena totally forgot she still had to fuel her car. "Do you want something to drink?" Elena questioned after she was done filling the tank, before she went inside the shop. It was a warm outside to today and she was getting thirsty.

"I'd like some candy," Jenna answered smiling, unbuckling her seatbelt and following Elena inside.

A few minutes later they came outside the shop again and just before Elena wanted to leave someone called her name. "Miss Gilbert?"

She turned around and saw Carol Lockwood, the woman smiled at her politely. "It's been a while since I saw you. Are you still friends with Caroline?" the woman asked curiously. The last time they'd seen each other was at the ball and Elena didn't particularly like her. The Lockwood family was a little too stiff for her taste. They fake smiled at everyone, though they actually had no friends.

"I am," Elena answered shortly.

"It was nice seeing you again, Elena," the woman spoke, giving her one of her typical smiles, before walking into the shop.

Elena just kept quiet and walked towards her car. "You're a Gilbert?" Jenna asked, surprised, once they drove further.

"Yeah, why?" Elena questioned, keeping her eyes on the road.

"It's just… I used to know a Gilbert," Jenna answered softly. She could still remember the day her sister, Miranda, married vividly. It had been years, though she would never forget about Grayson and Miranda. After a stupid fight about money, her mother and she left her sister behind and moved to Mystic Falls. Ever since then, she hadn't seen her again. She didn't even know if her sister was still alive.

She hoped Miranda was still happily married to Grayson, she truly did. It didn't matter that she hadn't seen her sister in more than 20 years. Jenna had only been fifteen back then. She could still remember her mother arguing with Miranda because she used her entire trust fund to buy a house. Her mother never liked Grayson and she found it irresponsible that Miranda married him. Itwas an understatement to say that she didn't approve of their marriage.

Closely after that, their mother got the chance to become a director at the company she was working for. The only disadvantage was that she had to move. Of course she did and she quickly broke contact with her eldest daughter and forbade Jenna to call her sister.

A few years back when her mother passed away, Jenna tried to search for Miranda, though she couldn't seem to find her. She was afraid that she might have been too late.

"We're here," Elena spoke when she stopped the car, giving Jenna a quick hug before the woman stepped out of the car. She must have brought up a few old memories with the name Gilbert, since Jenna had become slightly dreamy.

After they both said their goodbyes, Elena drove off and headed home. Looking at her watch, she took a deep breath, realizing she was running late. There was no way she would arrive on time to Bonnie's hotel because she still needed to take a shower and get herself ready.

* * *

><p>She just stepped into the shower when she heard Damon coming upstairs. It was quiet for a few minutes before she heard the door of the bathroom opening.<p>

"I just have to take a shower, I'll be ready in a minute," she shouted at him, taking the bottle of body soap. Her friend had arrived this afternoon and they had made an agreement to have dinner at night in the restaurant of the hotel.

When she didn't hear him replying**,** she started to get a little worried and she peeked out of the shower. She was greeted by a naked Damon."What are you doing?" she shrieked when he stepped inside. Usually, she would have no problem with sharing the shower and having a little fun; however, today was different. She couldn't afford any other time delays.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he questioned, giving her one of his million dollar smirks before stepping underneath the spray and taking the bottle out of her hand so he could soap her.

"We're already going to be late," she told him, though he wasn't really listening. Instead**,** he started to wash her body, his hands caressing every inch of her skin. His fingertips gently brushed against her breasts from time to time, making her belly tingle. He was deliberately avoiding the places she wanted him most, knowing it wouldn't take long before she gave in and told him exactly what she wanted. He was sneaky like that.

"Damon," she said breathlessly, a moan leaving her lips when his hands caressed her inner thigh

"Tell me what you want, Elena," he told her huskily before his lips crashed down on hers. He wasn't in the mood to be soft and sweet. Besides, she was the one who wanted it to be a quickie.

"Oh god," she moaned, a bit louder this time, when he pushed her flush between his body and the cold shower wall. She buried her hands in his hair and pulled him even closer while biting his lips softly. His erection was now poking against her lower body which made it obvious how aroused he was.

"Take me," she told him between kisses, wrapping her toned legs around his waist. She never had been quite vocal during sex though Damon could do some pretty impressive things to her; he was able to make her scream out in pleasure.

"Your wish is my command, my lady," he smirked, kissing her deeply, before positioning himself and thrusting inside of her wetness in one movement. He let out a growl when he was completely buried inside, her walls clamping around his cock tightly.

He was glad she was on birth control because he didn't like to have anything between them. He knew it wasn't the smartest idea because, even while they were both healthy, using a condom was far safer than birth control alone, but he couldn't help it, the feeling he got every time he was inside her had him craving more and more.

"Harder," she groaned, between kisses. Throwing her head back, Damon nibbled at her neck. He always knew how to find that certain spot that no one but him seemed to know of.

Like she asked him to, he changed the angle so he could push inside of her at a faster pace. He wentharder and deeper with every single trust. They were both panting loudly, moaning each other's names while they came closer and closer to their release. He let his hands wander over her entire body, massaging her breasts, and rubbing her clit occasionally.

She dug her nails in his back, her eyes rolling to the back of her head. When he started to whisper dirty words in her ear, she knew she would explode at any minute. He knew how to pleasure her like no one else could and always seemed to find those ultra-sensitive places of her body.

It didn't take long before they both reached theirearth-shattering release, their heads spinning and heartbeats racing. Every time seemed to be better and more intense than the former. It sounded impossible, but was very true.

* * *

><p>They arrived at the Holiday Inn about half an hour late, which was kind of impressive. Elena couldn't remember a time when she made herself ready so quickly. Damon on the other hand seemed to have no problem at all with the short span of time. Apparently he had experience with running late.<p>

When they walked inside, Damon took her hand in his, wanting to have her close to him. For some reason, he couldn't seem to let go of her. He was getting accustomed to having her near and, while it used to scare the hell out of him, it now gave him a pleasant feeling.

He felt relaxed around her. She was the only person he'd ever talked to so easily. He loved their silly banter, but of course having a serious conversation with her was just as nice. It was the first time in his life he ever opened up to someone that easily. Even back in the day, he never let Katherine come close to him. It was probably the reason why their relationship never worked out. He always kept her at a safe distance and he was finally realizing that he never truly loved her. She was a funny girl, smart too, but mostly she was deceiving. She kept secrets just like he did, though for an entirely different purpose.

He never talked about personal stuff because he didn't want to bring up the past and be reminded of his father. Katherine kept more than just her past hidden, she had two faces. One moment, she was nice to him andthe next she acted like a true bitch. The girl had problems, though he never realized any of it. He was too blind to see how evil she was.

It wasn't until he found her with one of his friends in bed that he saw through her façade. She never loved him. She probably didn't even like him. She just plainly used him for sex when no one else was around. He thought they had an understanding. Clearly, he never knew the real Katherine Pierce.

"You look nervous," Damon said when he noticed Elena looking at her feet. He'd learned a lot about her in the past weeks; she always stared at her feet or started to play with her clothes when she was nervous. She couldn't help but blush when someone said something nice to her and looked away when she was being shy. She could be so cute sometimes and was the definition of amazing. He never met someone quite like her; she was pure perfection. He finally knew how it felt to be in love with someone. He was completelyhead over heels in love with her.

"I kind of am. It's just been so long since the last time I saw Bonnie," she told him softly.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure she's just as anxious to see you," he assured her, squeezing her hand in his before opening the door that lead them towards the restaurant.

The next few minutes went by rather quickly. Elena immediately ran towards her friend when she saw Bonnie standing on the other side of the room. The two girls hugged each other and had a quick chat before Elena introduced Damon and Bonnie introduced her boyfriend. It all went perfectly well and in no time everyone felt at ease, talking about what had happened the past month while the girls were separated.

Elena had to smile when she realized how cute Bonnie and Luca looked together. It was clear that her friend finally found someone who matched her. The quick glances between the couple didn't go unnoticed. Although Elena wasn't the only one who was being observant, Bonnie hadn't missed the secret smiles between Damon and her friend either.

As soon as both men disappeared to the bathroom, Bonnie started to fire questions. "What the hell, Elena? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" she asked dumbfounded, not getting what her friend meant.

"Oh please, I'm not blind. What's going on between you and Damon? Why didn't you tell me you were dating again?" Bonnie questioned, slightly hurt that her friend kept something so important a secret.

"I'm not dating him, we're just good friends," Elena told her friend shrugging.

"Great. So now you're lying to me? I can see right through you, Elena. There's no reason to keep hiding whatever is going on between the two of you," the girl answered seriously.

"We're not dating, okay? As a matter of fact, Damon's doesn't want to date. He doesn't_ do_ relationships. We're just… I dunno… friends with benefits or something," Elena told her friend in all honesty. In fact, she didn't even know herself what exactly she was doing. Butwhen she was with Damon, nothing else seemed to matter anymore.

"I don't want to judge you Lena, but I think it's a bad idea. I don't want to see you getting hurt if the guy doesn't want a relationship with an amazing girl like you, he clearly doesn't deserve you," Bonnie said. She knew Elena wouldn't follow her advice; the girl was too stubborn for that. She just didn't want to see her best friend getting hurt.

"I get it, Bonnie. Believe me, I do. Although, I think you're wrong. Damon's a great person and he deserves the best he can get. He just had a difficult past, he's been hurt badly and he doesn't want anyone to get too close to him."

"It doesn't matter if he's had a difficult past or not. What matters to me is your future and I can't see you being happy in this sort of relationship. You're not a 'friend with benefits' type. Lena, you're someone who wants the real thing, who _needs_ the real thing!"

"What I want is Damon, whether we're in a serious relationship or not, I'll take as much as I can get as long as it means being close to him. I've been through enough in my life to know that I can't give up on him, I _won't_. And yes, if he decides that being with me isn't enough anymore, it'll fucking hurt. Losing the people you love always hurts, but in the end, I won't have to feel guilty for giving up, because I kept on fighting as much as I could."

"You really love him, don't you?" Bonnie questioned, surprise clearly showing on her features.

"I do," Elena answered softly, finally admitting it out loud. She'd thought about it more than once, though she never actually admitted her feelings. Now however, she felt ready to talk about her feelings. She knew she had been falling in love with him, it was bound to happen. Although she knew he was far from ready to hear those three words and she would keep them from him until the right moment came around.

"Just be careful, will you?" her friend said, giving her a small smile.

"I will," Elena agreed, hoping she was making the right decision. She never had been much of a fighter. If she was, she would be a novel writer rather than a journalist. However, for Damon, she would fight harder than she ever fought for anything or anyone. He was worth fighting for and she knew it.

* * *

><p><strong>Poor Jenna, right? She's been through a lot. Anyway, yes, Elena and Jenna are related! Although, they both don't know it just yet. It'll take a while before they find out.<strong>

**Bonnie... being judgy as always, what else is new? ;) **

**The next chapter will probably take a little longer, since I'll be leaving for NYC this saturday and I will be staying there for a week. So I won't be able to update cause I'm not taking my laptop with me, just my cell phone. **

**Please review and let me know if you liked it (or not)!**

_**Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94**_


	13. Great News

**And I'm back! I had a wonderful trip to NY; however, I'm also really glad to be home again. As I told most of you in my reply to your reviews, this chapter is called Great News for a reason and you're about the find out why! Some of you were really close when they guessed what the news would be, though no one found the right solution. **

**Enough of my talking, here's the chapter! Enjoy! ;)**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own The Vampire Diaries. **

* * *

><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**_Chapter 12_ **

**Great News**

**Day 32**

When Elena looked at the time, she let out a sigh. It was past two at night and she was still wide awake. Damon had fallen asleep about an hour ago; they had been talking almost the entire evening. He'd told her about his father, his grandmother, about Stefan when he was little and what he'd been feeling when he moved to Mystic Falls. It was wonderful to talk to him so openly and she felt like they'd made huge progress over the past days.

Usually, having these kind of comforting conversations, would help her to fall asleep quickly, but tonight sleep she just wouldn't come. She wasn't feeling well and she suspected she was getting the flu, just like Caroline. Her friend was still sick, lying in one of the bedrooms next to them. The poor woman hadn't eaten anything decent in three days.

Feeling a wave of nausea hit her, she ran towards the bathroom, just in time to empty her stomach. After a few minutes, she finally got up and walked towards the sink to rinse her mouth and get rid of the awful taste. Her hands were still shaking and after cleaning herself up, she ran downstairs to search for medicine. She hadn't felt so bad in a long while.

Downstairs, she filled a glass of water and drank it up. She actually had to sit down at the kitchen table since her legs felt kind of wobbly. Her sight was blurred and she could hear her own heartbeat drumming.

After about ten minutes, she heard someone coming downstairs and she wondered if she'd woken up anyone. She had to smile when she saw Damon walking towards her, his eyes glazed and his hair still tousled from sleeping. He looked hot as hell to say the least. Even when she was feeling horrible, he was still able to turn her on.

"Are you okay?" he questioned sleepily when he saw Elena sitting at the table. She looked much paler than usual and her eyes looked puffy. He'd woken up to find the bed empty which made him worry almost immediately. He'd become so used to sleeping next to her that he missed her warm body against his.

"I'm fine, now. I think I'm getting the flu like Caroline," she told him, slowly standing up. Immediately, she sat back down because her legs decided to give out. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes in defeat.

"C'mere," Damon instructed, walking over to her and reaching out his hand. She gladly took it and he helped her getting up, supporting her all the way upstairs. Once in the bedroom, he helped her get into the bed and underneath the covers. After tucking her in, he gave her a kiss on top of her temple before lying down next to her. "Wake me up when you feel bad again, will you?" he asked her, wanting to be there for her.

He pulled her close to his body and together they quickly fell asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 33<strong>

The next morning Elena woke up with a groan, her body curling itself into a tight ball. Damn, she felt even worse than the_ first_ time she got up during the night. She had to get up at least seven times. It had been the worst night of her life. She couldn't remember ever feeling so horrible.

Damon, of course, had been super sweet which made her even grumpier. She wanted to be left alone, though he wouldn't leave her side for even a second! She even yelled at him, but the man was just too stubborn for his own good and wouldn't give up.

When he came walking inside with a glass of water and a freshly made toast, she let out a loud sigh. "Damon, I'm not hungry," she told him, her stomach doing flip-flops… in a bad way.

"I know you're not, but you need to eat something, Elena. It's not healthy." He was truly worried about her. He knew Caroline had been sick too, though with Elena it was different. He wanted to make her feel all better, though there was nothing he could do to heal her.

He'd been up all night, sitting next to her when she emptied her stomach and cleaning her up afterwards. He'd tried his best to be as sweet as possible, though Elena could be a quite difficult person... especially when she wasn't feeling well. She'd told him to go back to bed more than once, though he didn't listen. She needed him by her side and he wasn't going to sleep while she was feeling awful.

"Please, put it away. It's making me nauseous," she murmured, hiding her face underneath the pillow.

"Fine," he answered in defeat, knowing he couldn't push her to eat. He went to sit down beside her and massaged her scalp, but she immediately pulled back from his touch. He let out a sigh his lips tightly pressed together. He didn't know what to do anymore. He wanted to help her out so badly, though everything he did seemed to make her even angrier.

"I'm not great company at the moment, Damon. Please, just go downstairs and watch television or something," she proposed, her eyes still closed. "I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I really need to be alone right now," she repeated, knowing he'd feel bad.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 35<strong>

Two days had passed and Elena finally started to feel better again. She was still not entirely healed, though the worst part was over. She knew she'd been kinda hard on Damon, though she couldn't help it. When she was feeling bad, she just couldn't seem to care about what she did or said. Right now, she actually felt pretty bad about it. She knew she'd hurt his feelings more than once with her grumpy moods. To be honest, she'd been a real bitch the past two days.

So to make it up to him, she'd been trying to cook him dinner. She already decided for a romantic evening together with candle lights and delicious food. However; she, once again, proved just how much of a disaster she was in the kitchen. Her lasagna was burned, the soup was way too salty, and her cake had fallen apart and broke into pieces. She kind of ruined their entire meal to say the least.

She'd even called a caterer, though they told her she should've called them sooner. They didn't take any orders when the food had to be delivered within 24 hours. She honestly didn't know what to do anymore and it wasn't like she could ask Caroline. Together with Stefan, her friend was going out for dinner tonight because they wanted to leave Damon and her alone for their romantic night. The one Elena just entirely screwed up.

"Hi babe," she heard Damon yell from the hallway while he put away his coat and shoes. She quickly tried to hide the food but, clumsy as she was, she let a glass fall down on the floor and it shattered into a million of pieces.

"What happened?" Damon asked surprised when he walked into the kitchen. A smirk appeared across his features when he saw that Elena had been trying to cook him dinner. The kitchen looked like a battlefield from World War two, but he still thought it was sweet of her.

She looked much better than when she'd woken up that morning and she seemed to be in a much better mood too. He walked around in the kitchen to take a look at the food, hoping he could solve some of the problems; she'd done a wonderful job at making a disaster out of it. The lasagna was burned and not just the upper layer. Everything was overcooked. The cake she made was ready to go into the trash and while the soup looked okay, he suspected it wasn't going to taste well.

Elena gave him a shy smile before quickly cleaning the floor, her cheeks bright red from embarrassment. She couldn't believe she'd made such a fool out of herself. Next time she had another bright idea like this, she'd ask Caroline and Stefan to help her prepare dinner.

When she was done, she suddenly felt two strong arms wrapping around her. Damon pulled her close to his chest before leaving a wet trail of kisses down her throat, making her heartbeat speed up frantically. She let out a soft moan before turning around and throwing her arms around his neck. She pulled him close and kissed him deeply, her tongue seeking entrance to his mouth while one of her hands tangled itself in his raven hair.

Eventually, she had to pull away to catch some highly needed air. "I wanted to make you dinner," she told him, like it wasn't obvious what she had been _trying _to do.

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure we still have some leftovers from yesterday," he reassured her, softly caressing her cheek before pressing a kiss on top of her head.

"I wanted to make it up to you," she said shyly, looking down to the floor, still quite embarrassed about her mood swings. "I know I've been a real bitch the past days," she admitted, looking up to meet his eyes.

"You didn't have to. Besides, you didn't act like a bitch. You were just a little… edgy," he assured her, pulling her towards him and hugging her body close to his.

"That's a huge understatement and you know it," she told him while nestling her face into the crook of his neck.

Instead of discussing the issue any further, he picked her up and put her down on the kitchen counter, making Elena yelp in surprise. "Damon what are you doing?" she questioned when he started to kiss her neck, slowly unbuttoning her blouse. She'd chosen the outfit especially for tonight and made sure she was wearing some sexy undergarments.

With every button, Damon revealed more of her black, lace bra. It was one of the sets she bought during her shopping trip with Jenna and she'd known all along that Damon would approve. Seeing the look of satisfaction on his face made her feel sexy and hungry for more. Her hands found its way to his chest and started pulling at the fabric of his shirt.

"Someone could walk in on us," she told him, her mind still fighting her body. Although all the thoughts immediately disappeared as soon as Damon's kisses started to trail lower, his hands ranking over her body, creeping closer and closer to her breasts. When he finally touched them and pinched her nipples, the two peaks immediately hardened. She let out a soft moan and pulled him closer to her body until he was standing between her legs. She quickly wrapped them around his middle before pulling his shirt off. A pleased smile appeared across her features at the sight of his perfect, muscled chest. She would never get tired of ogling him. He was a true Adonis.

"I don't think anyone would dare to interrupt us," he told her huskily, opening her jeans button with one hand while he massaged her breast with the other. Sometimes she wondered how he was able to work so quickly; he must have had a lot of practice over the years because the man surely had skills she'd never seen before.

In a matter of seconds, she was left in nothing but a pair of panties and her bra. Damon was still fully clothed except for his shirt. She decided that he had to peel off a few layers as well and started to unbutton his pants, a curse leaving her lips when she didn't get it open. Her hands were just too shaky from excitement.

Damon quickly helped her out, feeling the urge to throw his clothes off. It had been too long since the last time they'd been together like this...at least that was the way he felt. In reality, it had only been three days.

The next minutes went by quickly while their clothes spread over the entire room. Elena's breaths came out in pants, her head falling back when Damon's hand slowly started to draw circles down her inner thigh. His fingers inched closer and closer to the material of her panties, teasing her incessantly. "More," she pleaded; her voice barely audible.

Smirking, Damon complied as he pushed her panties aside and exposed her heated flesh. His fingertips slowly brushed against her skin which made Elena hiss in frustration. She wanted more, needed more.

When he finally thrusted his finger inside of her wetness, she cried out. He was deliberately avoiding her clit because he wanted her to beg for more. He just loved the breathless little sounds she made when he touched her intimately.

He didn't have to wait long though before her pleading voice asked for more. He smiled brightly before pinching her clit, adding another finger, and pushing into her at a faster pace. Within a minute her body exploded. Waves of pleasure crashed through her and her wetness coated his fingers when she came down from her high.

Elena was still panting heavily, the blood racing through her veins, when he positioned himself at her entrance. "I want you," he told her before kissing her passionately. "I want you so damn much," he added, when he pulled back, his head resting against hers.

"Then take me," she said huskily, wrapping her hand around his neck and pulling him in for another heated kiss. She had been close to crying out that she loved him during her previous orgasm. Thankfully, she had been able to keep her mouth shut. She didn't know how he'd react, though she had no control over her body when he rocked her world so thoroughly. She would have to be very careful with what she said.

"Don't worry, I will," he told her right before thrusting forward, pushing inside of her tightness. She felt amazing around his cock; she was so warm and tight. Thanks to their foreplay, he glided inside of her without any trouble.

When her body was used to his size, he set a steady pace of pushing in and out of her rapidly. There was time for slow and tender love making later at night because at the moment, the only thing he could think of was how much he needed her to come for him. He wanted to see the look of pure satisfaction on her face when he pushed her over into oblivion. A pure animalistic lust took over his body, making him go even harder and faster.

"Yes," Elena hissed, meeting his every thrust. This was exactly what she had needed. After being moody for days, she needed to let her body take control over her mind for a while. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head while her inner muscles started to tighten around Damon's cock.

Not much later, they both reached their high at the same time, Elena's walls milking his cock. They screamed each other's names loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear.

Minutes later, they were still breathing heavily, their bodies tangled on top of the counter. "That was…" Elena began. "Amazing," Damon finished for her, pressing a kiss on her temple while stroking her cheek tenderly.

She simply nodded, smiling up at him when he pulled her from the counter into his arms. After another few rounds of mind-blowing sex throughout the entire house, they called the pizza deliverer and ordered food in order to earn some extra strength for the rest of the night.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 36<strong>

Elena let out a yawn when she woke up the following morning, a smile across her face. She turned around to find Damon still fast asleep beside her. He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping, almost innocent. Last night had been perfect. She couldn't remember a time she felt that happy and carefree.

Placing a soft kiss across his cheek, she sat up slowly stepping out of the bed and walking towards the bathroom. She had to get herself ready to meet Bonnie in an hour. Her friend would be leaving Mystic Falls today. Thanks to her illness, she hadn't seen Bonnie for more than a few hours which made her feel kind of sad. She'd hoped to catch up with her, have a girls' night, and go out shopping. However she wouldn't sulk. She was grateful that she finally saw her friend again so there was no reason to start whining.

After taking a quick shower, she put her clothes on and ran downstairs. Her cheeks burned bright red when she walked into the kitchen. The room was a mess. There were pieces of clothing lying everywhere and she still hadn't cleaned up the food she'd been trying to make.

She could only hope Caroline and Stefan didn't walk into the kitchen when they arrived home late last night. It would be so embarrassing if they'd seen the mess. Shaking her head, she quickly picked up all the pieces of clothing and dropped them into the laundry basket. When she walked back to the kitchen, she almost bumped into Caroline.

The blonde was wearing nothing but a shirt of Stefan's and Elena quickly looked away. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," Caroline exclaimed. "I didn't know anyone was awake," she explained, her cheeks darkening a few shades.

"No problem," Elena mumbled, taking an apple out of the fridge so she could eat something while driving to Bonnie's hotel.

"Gosh, this is so embarrassing," the blonde said, looking down.

"Don't worry about it," Elena told her smiling. "The only reason why I'm wearing clothing is because I actually had a meeting today," she added, giving Caroline a knowing look.

"Remind me to ask you everything about last night when you're back," the woman answered, a bright smile appearing on her face. She gave Elena one last wink before running upstairs to her awaiting boyfriend.

Laughing, Elena shook her head while walking towards the hallway. She took her coat from the peg and put her shoes on before taking her car keys and leaving the house.

Within ten minutes, she arrived at the hotel where Bonnie and Luca were staying. She asked for their room number at the head desk, though they couldn't give her the information she needed due to privacy rights. Just when Elena wanted to take her phone out of her handbag and call her friend, she saw Bonnie walking out of the elevator with her boyfriend. They looked absolutely stunning together, Elena thought. Secretly, she wondered if Damon and she looked just as happy together.

"Elena!" Bonnie said happily, running over to her and hugging her friend firmly. Elena had to smile and hugged her back.

"I'm going to miss you, BonBon," she told her. "I feel so bad for not being able to talk to you more often." At first when she heard that Bonnie would be visiting Mystic Falls, she'd been making plans and trying to arrange a few trips together. However, thanks to her getting sick, they hadn't been able to do anything.

"Don't worry, Lena. I know it's not your fault. You can't help it that you got sick," Bonnie assured her. "Are you planning on ever coming back to San Francisco?" she questioned, curiously.

"I don't think so," Elena answered honestly. "I think I finally found my true home." A big smile appeared on her face when she thought about just how true that statement was.

"I think you did, too," her friend told her, smiling. "I can't remember a time seeing you this happy."

Elena knew her friend was right. She couldn't remember a time being that happy either. Mystic Falls had made her come home in more than one way. She finally found a place where she felt at ease, comfortable around the people that lived next to her. She also found her true self again. She found a reason to live, _someone_ to fight for.

"Thanks Bon, it means a lot to me that you approve of me staying here. It's not because we're not sharing an apartment, that I don't want to be your friend anymore," Elena smiled, hugging her friend one last time before Bonnie walked outside the building.

"I'll miss you, Lena!" her friend called out before stepping into the cab.

"I'll miss you too," Elena whispered softly when she saw the cab driving away. Bonnie would always stay one of her closest friends, no matter how far they were apart.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 38<strong>

Shortly after returning home two days ago, Caroline had come downstairs and asked Elena if it was possible for Damon and her to go out for dinner. Apparently, the blonde had something very important to tell them. Elena had clearly seen the excitement on Caroline's face and had told her it would be no problem to go out.

So today, they would be all going to some little French restaurant a few cities away from Mystic Falls. She had been surprised that they wanted to go so far away though Damon told her they used to visit the restaurant all the time. Although when Stefan started working as a lawyer, he didn't have as much time anymore and they just stayed home.

"Damon!" she exclaimed, while quickly running a brush through her hair. She'd come home from work about an hour ago. Normally, that would mean she had an hour and a half to make herself ready and drive to the restaurant. But, Damon of course had to ruin her precious time by walking around in the house naked.

Caroline and Stefan had left early because they still had an errand to run which was why Damon had no problem with parading through the house, wearing nothing but a small, red towel. One thing lead to another and they soon ended up in bed together. Now, Elena was running out of time.

They should leave any minute since it took about half an hour to drive towards the restaurant, though she was far from ready. She'd taken a quick shower and put some make-up on.

"Having _zipper_ problems again?" he laughed while walking into the bathroom with that typical smirk of his across his face.

She gave him a shy smile before turning her back towards him so he could zip her up. It had become a habit of hers to ask for his help while she was putting her dress on. It wasn't like Damon didn't enjoy being able to touch her a little more. He had never been able to keep his hands to himself.

Damon rolled his eyes before taking a step closer towards her, his hands slowly caressing the skin above her backbone while he watched her facial expression in the mirror. The smirk across his face grew wider when he saw her eyes closing in pleasure. He could swear she let out a soft purr when he kissed her neck. His tongue darted out, licking a path down her throat.

Her sharp intake of breath didn't go unnoticed and his hands slowly started to travel lower, though she successfully stopped him by turning around. "We don't have time for this," she told him, giving him an accusing look before turning around once again so he could finally zip her up.

He gave her one of his best puppy dog looks but saw she wasn't responding and gave up, quickly zipping the dress and taking a step back. "I'll wait for you downstairs," he told her shortly, before leaving her all alone in the bathroom.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the French restaurant where an impatient Caroline greeted them.

"Damn, what took you guys so long?" she asked accusingly, the disappointment showing on her face. Although when she saw the shy smile across Elena's face and the proud look on Damon's, she burst out, "Never mind," and quickly drowned the entire glass of wine.

Elena noticed Caroline's nervous look and wondered what could possibly make the woman that edgy. Caroline was someone who could handle stress very well which is exactly why Elena was even more surprised.

The four of them ordered their dishes and started small talk, though the tension was still tick in the air. It was obvious by now that Caroline was searching for the right moment to tell something important. Stefan and she shared a few quick glances but neither of them actually came straight to the point. Instead, they kept beating around the bush.

"Care? What's going on?" Elena asked, bluntly, too curious to keep quiet. Damon gave her an annoyed look, though she ignored him. If he didn't want to know what was going on, than that was just fine by her. She _had_ to know. She wasn't a patient person.

Again, Stefan and Caroline exchanged a quick look before she started to speak. "Well, I…we have something important to tell you," she started, a big girlish smile across her face. You could see she was practically squealing in excitement.

"Yes?" Elena said, pushing her friend to continue.

"You remember that Stefan and I went out for dinner a few days back, right?" the blonde questioned, making Elena even more curious than before with her tedious explanation.

When she nodded, her friend went on: "Well, that evening… he kind of…"

"Yes?"

"He asked me to marry him and I said yes!" Caroline exclaimed, jumping up and almost knocking down the table. She smiled shyly and whimpered a soft 'I'm sorry' before sitting down again, looking down to avoid all the accusing looks. People didn't like to be interrupted when they were having a nice, peaceful dinner.

"What?" Elena questioned, surprised and shocked at the same time. She never expected them to move in so quickly, let alone get engaged. Stefan clearly got the hint that Caroline wanted to take their relationship to the next level. After the shocked expression left her face, she gave the couple a bright smile, congratulating them and wishing them good luck.

Damon on the other hand was still staring in front of him, amazed by what just happened. He never thought that his brother would propose to Blondie...not because he thought that Stefan didn't love her, but because he'd always thought that his brother was the shy one in the family that would wait _forever_ before he dared to ask such an important and life changing question.

Secretly, he felt kind of jealous because his brother was the one that was getting married. He hadn't thought about marriage for a very long time and he'd always been convinced that _he_, Damon Salvatore, didn't want to marry. However, today showed just how wrong he had been. Of course he wanted to marry, who wouldn't want to be with that _one _special person? The one that would always be there for you, that made you smile, that loved you no matter what and that you would share your most precious memories with. He had been a fool to think that marriage wasn't important. He'd been a fool to even believe that he'd be happy with staying alone _forever_.

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><p><strong>I hope the constant change of day didn't confuse anyone too much. I know there were a lot of them in this chapter, though I didn't want to write a short chapter, I know everyone likes long ones much better! <strong>

**So what do you think of the great news? I thought that it was getting time for Steroline to take their relationship to the next level. Don't worry, the main characters will always be DE, though I like writing Caroline too much to _not_ include her in my stories. **

**The next chapter... it'll probably take a while before I'll be able to update again. I know, I know, that's just horrible of me. BUT, both my beta readers are extremely busy and don't have the time to look over new chapters. Also, I'm getting behind with writing... being on a holiday, working, school... RL sucks sometimes and I'm just too busy to keep up these fast updates. I'll try to update once every two weeks, though I can't make any promises. I hope you all understand and don't hate me. **

**Anyway, please leave me one of those super sweet reviews! ;) It'll certainly help to make sure I'll use all my free time to write, lol! **

_**Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94**_

**xoxo**


	14. Party all Night Long

**A/N:**** First of all, thank you so much for those kind reviews! They made me smile a lot! This chapter is a little bit a filler, no real Delena moments, still I hope you will all enjoy it! **

**Thank you Jamie for beta reading the chapter and Mirna for pre-reading it! **

**Disclaimer:**** Nope, I don't own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine. **

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><p><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

**Unexpected Visitor**

**Party all Night Long **

**Day 45**

As a celebration for Caroline's engagement, Elena and Jenna arranged a girls-only-trip to Vegas. At first, they wanted to organize an engagement party at the Grill, however Jenna came up with the idea to make it a girls-only night. Caroline didn't want a bachelorette party, since she was too afraid of what Damon and Alaric might plan for Stefan, and decided that she would just have an engagement party instead.

Jenna and Elena, of course, had to readjust the planning. In all honesty, a trip to Vegas sounded a lot better than a simple party at the Grill, right? So now, the girls (Rebecca, Caroline, Bonnie, Jenna and Elena) would be leaving for Las Vegas in a couple of minutes.

They all agreed upon coming together at the Mystic Falls Airport so they could leave as a group. Bonnie had taken a few days off so she could join the others. At first, she hadn't been sure if coming back to Mystic Falls would be a good idea since she didn't really know the others, though eventually Caroline had been the one to convince her. She'd said some pretty nice things to Bonnie and it was obvious that the two of them were quickly befriending each other.

At the moment, they were all waiting at the gate. Elena was pacing around impatiently, letting out a sigh from time to time, while Caroline was just staring around, a big grin across her face when she thought of Stefan. She still couldn't believe he asked her to marry him. Not that she was complaining of course.

"I'm going to get something to eat," Elena suddenly spoke, taking her wallet out of her handbag. "Anyone else want something?" she questioned, looking at the others. The annoyed look hadn't left her features and she was feeling extra grumpy this morning.

"It's seven in the morning, Lena, I'm not exactly hungry at the moment," Bonnie answered softly, giving her a strange look. Usually, she was the one who got peckish and cranky after waking up early, not Elena.

Elena just lifted her shoulders before leaving the other four women alone and starting to search a vending machine.

"What's wrong with her?" Bonnie questioned when Elena was out of sight. She knew her friend as a bright and joyful girl, not as the grouchy person she was acting like.

"I've no idea," Caroline told her, letting out a soft sigh. "She's been acting differently for two days now. Maybe something happened between her and Damon, I've no clue as for why she would be so glum all the time. I thought everything was going just fine."

A few minutes later, Elena finally joined the group again. She'd found some chocolate and was already in a much better mood. Right after she arrived back at the gate, the speakers were turned on and a female voice spoke, informing them that their airplane would start boarding any minute.

The girls smiled at each other, glad the waiting was finally over and started to get ready to leave for Vegas.

* * *

><p>It was already late in the afternoon when the girls finally arrived at their hotel. It just wasn't their lucky day, since they had to wait in the traffic jam for almost two hours and they were totally worn out by the time they could check into the hotel and go to their room.<p>

Caroline and Elena would be sharing a room for the weekend. At first Elena had been planning to book a room together with Bonnie, though her friend quickly bonded with Jenna. Rebecca on the other hand was kind of an outsider. No one particularly liked her, the only reason why she joined them to Vegas was because she was Caroline's cousin. There was just something about the woman that made people stay away from her, maybe her bitchy personality had something to do with it.

When they finally walked into their room, Elena immediately plumped down on the bed, letting out a moan when she felt how sore her muscles were from the flight. "You should take a shower," Caroline told her, while checking out the bathroom. She let out a squeal when she saw they had a bubble bath.

"I'm not in the mood to go out tonight, Care. Can't we just stay in for the night and party tomorrow evening?" the brunette questioned, rubbing her head when she felt a headache coming up. She hadn't been feeling well for a few hours now and it only seemed to get worse. She felt extremely fatigued and she was sure she could fall asleep any moment.

"Of course not! We didn't fly across the country to sleep, Elena!" the blonde stated, entirely oblivious to the fact that Elena wasn't feeling well. Of course, she noticed that her friend had been acting kind of grumpy today, though she hadn't even thought about the fact that Elena might be sick. She was just so busy dreaming about her soon-to-be-husband that she totally forgot about her friends.

"Alright, alright," Elena sighed, knowing there was no way to convince Caroline that they should stay at the hotel. The woman was just too stubborn.

"There's a bar a few streets from here, an old friend of mine used to tell me just how amazing the place looked. Apparently, they throw some incredible parties," Caroline winked, opening her suitcase and searching an outfit. She rumbled through the valise but couldn't seem to find what she was looking for. Eventually, she held up two dresses and wanted Elena to choose which one looked best.

"You should wear the blue one," Elena told her, pointing at a strapless ocean blue dress. "It brings out your eyes," she went on, slowly getting up and walking over to where her friend was standing.

"You're totally right," the blonde woman exclaimed, throwing the dress over her shoulder while walking to the bathroom. "Are you coming or not?" she questioned, stopping right before she'd disappear out of sight.

"The two of us?" Elena stated, a shock looked across her face.

"Don't be such a prude. We're two girls, why wouldn't we be sharing a bathroom? I hope you don't give Damon such a strange look when he asks you to take a shower together cause…"

"I'm coming," Elena interrupted her babbling, shaking her head before taking a dress out of her suitcase and following Caroline into the bathroom.

* * *

><p>After taking a long and relaxing shower, Damon made himself ready and went downstairs. He still had about an hour before he had to leave for the Grill and he was feeling kind of edgy. He was used to having Elena around and while she wasn't even gone for an entire day, he already missed her like crazy.<p>

The past weeks had been perfect and he couldn't remember a time feeling that happy. He finally opened up to someone and instead of feeling scared, he was entirely relaxed. He knew Elena was the person he had been looking for all along, even if he hadn't known he was searching for someone.

She made him want to be the better man, she pushed his limits and made sure he followed his dreams. And while he'd been afraid of letting down his walls around her, he couldn't have been more happy that he'd succeeded. He finally understood what it meant to love someone. Of course he loved his brother as well, though the feelings he shared with Elena were something entirely new for him. He was in love with her. He wanted to fight for her and make sure she'd stay by his side.

They never talked openly about their feelings towards one another but he had this feeling that it wouldn't take long before one of them would start talking. As a matter of fact, he felt ready to talk to her and tell her that he wanted a real relationship instead of their current 'friends with benefits' relationship.

He was just pouring himself a glass of bourbon when he heard someone knocking on the front door. He quickly put down the bottle and walked towards the hallway to open the door and find out who was paying him a visit.

"Ric, buddy, what are you doing here? I thought we'd be meeting at the Grill?" he asked surprised, stepping aside so his friend could walk past him.

"I know. I was feeling bored without Jenna in the house and decided that you must be feeling the same with Elena gone and all," the man told him, immediately walking towards the liquor cabin and fixing himself a glass of scotch. He was kind of at home in the boarding house so he knew very well where to find the good stuff.

"Aw, that's so cute," Damon said playfully, rolling his eyes. "You miss your wife and she hasn't even been gone for a day."

"Don't give me the callous act, Damon. We both know you miss your girlfriend as well. I'm sure she's all you've been thinking about," the elder man told him smirking, once again showing just how well he knew his friend.

"She's not my girlfriend," he said stiffly, picking up his glass and almost drowning it in one, quick gulp.

"Maybe not right now, but we both know it won't take long anymore. It's obvious that you're in love with her. She's all you've been talking about the past weeks when we were on the phone. You think I missed those longing looks the two of you shared at dinner?"

Instead of giving him an honest answer, Damon decided to ignore his friend and simply poured himself another drink. If he'd ever tell anyone how he felt about her, he'd be telling Elena first. She deserved to be the first one that ever heard him admit his true feelings.

* * *

><p>An hour later, the girls arrived at the famous bar Caroline had been talking about. Elena was still feeling kind of tired; however, after taking a few pills, she was already feeling much better. The five of them got a booth on the left side of the club, close to the large dance floor.<p>

"Can I get you anything to drink?" a tall, black haired girl asked them. By her looks, the girl was still in her early twenties and her appearance didn't go unnoticed by a group of guys that were sitting in the booth next to them. They started to whistle and call out for her though the girl just shyly smiled and avoided eye contact. Elena felt bad for her, she certainly didn't look like she was feeling at ease.

"A soda, please," Elena shouted in the hope that the girl would hear her. The music was so loud that she had to ignore the urge to cover her ears.

"No wine or cocktail?" Bonnie asked her surprised, after the girl had left to get their drinks.

"I'm not feeling well and I want to prevent getting even sicker," she told her worried friend. She didn't know what was wrong, but the past days she'd started to feel different. Maybe she was getting the flu again or something. After all, she didn't take all of her antibiotics even though her doctor strictly advised her to use the entire box. Otherwise, there was a possibility that she would get sick again and, right now, she started to regret not listening to the advice.

The other girls were doing tequila shots and she kind of felt left out, sitting there, doing nothing but watching her friends having fun. After a few minutes, Caroline took her hand in hers and pulled her right up, telling her they should dance. Not wanting to ruin her friend's evening, Elena followed Caroline to the dance floor.

Jenna and Bonnie stayed in the booth, they were currently discussing the side effects of using cosmetics. Elena really didn't get why the hell they were having serious conversations on a night out. Rebecca, on the other hand, was having lots of fun; a little too much perhaps. At the moment, she was entangled with one of the guys at the bar, smiling like a cherish cat when the guy slapped her ass. She could act so slutty sometimes, Elena thought disappointed.

Once on the dance floor, she tried to relax and have some fun herself. She swayed her hips on the music though she kept wondering what Damon was doing at that exact moment. She just couldn't seem to get him out of her mind, not even for a few minutes.

After a while, she started to get nauseous again, the smell of sweaty bodies, mixed with alcohol and cigarettes hit her senses and made her feel dizzy. She quickly excused herself and started walking away from the dance floor. Bonnie and Jenna had apparently left since no one was sitting in the booth anymore.

She closed her eyes for a minute, letting out a deep sigh and trying to relax. However, when she opened her eyes again, some creep was hovering over her with a big smile across his features. "Hello beautiful," he sputtered, his eyes dazed, showing just how drunk he was.

When he touched her shoulder, she flinched, quickly moving towards the other side of the bench. Her eyes wandered around, hoping to see a familiar face, though no one seemed to be in the neighborhood. She cursed softly, regretting leaving Caroline alone on the dance floor.

"Is this guy bothering you?" a tall, dark haired man asked her, coming to stand next to the filthy pig. He kind of remembered her of Damon, she thought dreamily, relieved that someone was trying to help her out.

"As a matter of fact, he is," Elena stated, "though I think he was just about to leave," she added, looking the drunk in the eye with a dismissing look across her face.

The man quickly nodded, looking down and running away as fast as possible. "Thank you," Elena told the stranger that came to her rescue.

"You're welcome. I'm Brady, by the way," he told her, stretching out his arm so she could shake his hand.

"Elena," she answered, smiling brightly. She had to admit, he looked quite handsome, though he was nowhere as hot as Damon was. He didn't give her those tingly feelings in her stomach when he looked her in the eye nor did she feel electric shocks going through her spine when his hand touched hers.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Elena," his smiled, letting her name roll over his tongue smoothly. He was quite the charmer she realized, as soon as he offered her a drink. He kept giving her these looks, like she was the only woman in the entire room and, while she usually found it flattering, she was kind of annoyed by his behavior. She didn't need another man to give her all his attention. She already had someone who would always be there for her.

"So Elena, do you have a boyfriend?" he asked her after a while, getting straight to the point. He was a little forward, though she liked the fact that he asked her that particular question. At least now, she could make it clear that he was wasting his time. She wasn't here to flirt or entertain any guys. Even an attractive man like Brady wouldn't be able to make her change her mind.

"As a matter of fact, I do," she told him fiercely. It wasn't like she was lying. Damon and she did have something special going on between the two of them. They sure as hell acted like a couple... it didn't matter that they weren't actually 'together'.

"Still, your boyfriend leaves you all alone in a bar, in Vegas?" Brady questioned, raising an eyebrow. "I know that if you would be my girl, I wouldn't leave your side for even a second," he told her, looking her deeply in the eye as trying to read her mind.

"Well, maybe that's why you're not my boyfriend," she stated seriously. She didn't like what the guy was implying. Damon was a great guy who trusted her enough to stay away from other men.

"You're a feisty little thing, aren't you?" Brady said, smirking at her. When he started to lean in, she quickly slapped his face. A look of hurt crossed her face, she wasn't expecting the guy to be such a pervert.

"Get the hell away from me," she told him furiously, her face bright red.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to waste my time on a dull girl like you. I was just hoping to have a little fun, but, apparently, you're just a little bitch," he told her, rubbing his cheek before walking away and leaving a shocked Elena behind. She wasn't used to men acting so disrespectfully towards her.

A few minutes later, Jenna arrived at the booth again. Bonnie and she apparently went to the bathroom together and came across a few, old colleagues of Bonnie. "I'm going to head back to the hotel," she told the woman, quickly standing up and taking her coat.

"What's wrong, Elena? You look wrecked and far too pale." Jenna asked worried, grabbing her arm and successfully making her stop.

"I'm just not feeling well," she told the woman. Jenna nodded her head and decided to leave with her. She used to be a party animal though, since dating Ric, she became much more relaxed.

The two women walked out of the building together, called a cab, and went towards their hotel. About an hour later, Elena was finally lying in bed, hoping she would soon be back home, safely, in Damon's arms.

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><p><strong>What an amazing new episode did we get on the show, right? I'm still amazed by what happened! I loved that episode so much! I even started liking Rose. <strong>

**So about the story, I hope you're not too disappointed that there weren't any DE scenes in it. To make up for it, the next chapter will have some very important DE moments, and with very important, I mean VERY important ;) **

**Already getting excited? Please review and maybe I'll give you a few interesting spoilers! :D **

**Side note: Someone asked me if I would allow her to translate my stories, the answer is NO. If you were thinking about translating one of them, please don't. I do not want anyone to translate my work. I feel flattered that so many of you like my fics, though I'm not okay with letting someone translate it. I speak 4 different languages, if I want to translate my stories, I will try to do so myself. **

_**Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94**_


	15. Walking on Sunshine

**A/N: First of all, I want to thank my wonderful beta Jamie and pre-reader Mirna for helping me out! You rock girls! ;) **

**As I said before, this chapter is pretty important so I hope everyone will like it! Enjoy... **

**Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine. **

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**Chapter 14**

**Walking on Sunshine**

**Day 55**

Elena had been relieved when she finally arrived home. Damon had been waiting for her at the airport and she'd immediately jumped into his arms when she saw him waiting. She'd missed him and she couldn't wait to be in his arms again; to feel safe and entirely comfortable, to feel at home.

She'd never wanted to let go. Nothing felt better than to stay in his arms. The past month had been wonderful; she still couldn't believe how easily she felt at home in this entirely new environment. Leaving the big city to find peace in a small little town in Virginia had been the best decision she'd made in her life. She couldn't even imagine what her life would've been like if she hadn't met all these amazing people.

When they left the airport, Damon had taken her home and they'd spent the entire evening sitting in the couch, eating pizza, and talking about all the things that had happened during the weekend they had been apart. It seemed like they both simply couldn't stand being apart because Damon kept telling her how glad he was that she was finally home again.

She'd missed having him around; it always felt so normal that he was there for her. By being away from him, she finally realized that it wasn't that simple. She took everything she had for granted; Damon didn't have to be there for her all the time. He did so because he wanted to and she should be very grateful for that. She couldn't have met a better guy. He was special in every way and made her feel unbelievably good.

So to thank him for being there for her, she wanted to do something special. She wanted to surprise him and show him just how much she appreciated him being around. When she heard that it was almost his birthday, she immediately started planning a romantic night.

She'd asked Caroline for some advice as for how she should arrange everything. She never organized a party or anything, let alone a special evening to surprise a guy. She wanted everything to be perfect, though she soon realized that it would take some serious thinking before she could attempt arrange a romantic getaway.

After getting back from Vegas about a week ago, she started looking on the internet with Caroline to find an interesting location. At first, she wanted to stay at the boarding house. However, she didn't want anyone to interrupt them so, eventually, she decided to look for another place.

Caroline was the one who found THE perfect spot for the date to take place. She'd found a small, private beach that was located next to a beautiful cabin that could be rented for all kinds of occasions. Most of the time people rented the place for weddings or birthday parties, though the owners didn't mind what kind of event would take place. As long as no one wrecked the house, they were okay with it.

Caroline had called the owners' phone number and asked them if the place was still available for the weekend. Luckily, it was and now the only thing Caroline and she had left to do was find a way to get Damon to the beach without ruining the surprise. It probably wouldn't be easy, but they both worked too hard to fail now. Everything was organized perfectly. They had even thought of the small details such as what food they should take with them.

Of course, Caroline suggested that they go shopping for strawberries, chocolate and whipped cream for a lovely night. She even convinced Elena to go to the mall and buy some extra sexy lingerie to make sure that Damon would go crazy when he saw her. The woman was insufferable, yet she thought of everything.

There was only one problem, she still didn't feel well. After getting sick during their trip to Vegas, she kept getting nauseous. At first she thought she got the flu again, though she hadn't been feeling okay for the past week now which seemed to be an awfully long time. Nothing seemed to help to keep the food inside her body. It was weird because one minute she was feeling perfectly fine and a few minutes later she had to run towards the bathroom. It was starting to worry her, though she didn't dare go to the hospital; she hated the place.

A knock on the door of the study made her come back from her rant of thoughts. She'd been sitting behind her desk for a while now, though she couldn't seem to write a single word. She needed to deliver a beautiful column by the end of the week, though she hadn't written a word yet. Being sick took away all her energy and she couldn't seem to find the time to write. Also, her lack of inspiration was kind of annoying. Stupid writer's block.

"Come in," she said softly, while closing her laptop and turning around so she could see who'd walk in. A few seconds later, a cheerful Caroline appeared in the room with a big smile plastered on her face.

"I did it, I did it!" she squealed, jumping up and down. Elena gave her a wary look, waiting for her friend to continue. She had no idea what the woman was talking about and started to get curious after Caroline's delighted reaction.

"Oh my gosh Elena, it worked!" she repeated, her smile widening even more.

"Ok. What the hell are you talking about, Care?" Elena questioned, getting up from her chair and walking closer towards her friend. She quickly put a loosened stray of hair behind her ear again and waited for Caroline to answer.

"I convinced Damon that Stefan and I were searching for a beach house to rent for our wedding day and now he'll be coming with us when we drive towards the place to check it out," the woman explained, giving her friend a wink. "So when he arrives there, you'll be waiting for him with a bottle of champagne. After that, Stefan and I will leave and you can start your hot little sex trip!" Caroline finished, throwing Elena a knowing look.

"Care!" she said angrily. "I want to give him a nice birthday surprise! It's not a sex trip!"

"Yeah right…" the woman answered warily, not finishing her sentence.

"Did you find the bottle of champagne I was talking about? The one served during the Date Night?" Elena questioned after a while, letting out a deep breath.

"Yep, though I think it's better that you don't drink any alcohol. You're still sick and champagne will only make you feel even worse," the blonde told her. She knew how awful you could feel after drinking alcohol when you were still sick. Bad experience.

"I know. I just wanted to surprise Damon, he really liked the champagne and it'll make him think about our first date again," she answered, totally understanding what Caroline meant.

"Ohh, and I also found another great surprise," Caroline smiled, her eyes widening in excitement.

"Do I even want to know?" the brunette asked, aware of the fact that her friend was looking way too innocent.

"I found this amazing bottle of massage oil, perfect for every romantic night," she explained, taking a red bottle out of her bag which read 'Play with me'.

"Oh my god, Caroline where did you get that?" she said, giving her friend an accusing look.

"The sex store across town, of course. You know they had these awesome…"

"I don't want to know!" Elena interrupted her, throwing her hands in the air out of frustration. She so knew this was bound to happen when you involved Caroline Forbes into arranging a romantic evening.

"Don't be such a prude, Elena. You should be happy that I didn't buy you a whip and handcuffs. Who knows, maybe Damon likes some S&M," the woman chattered, totally unaware of how uncomfortable her friend felt. Elena wasn't used to people that were so upfront. Bonnie never talked about her sex life. Caroline, on the other hand, seemed to have no problem with it.

"I'm afraid that we'll have to change the subject. I'm in no mood to discuss my love life with you," Elena answered carefully, not wanting to hurt Caroline's feelings. However, she couldn't let the woman go on and on about something she didn't want to talk about.

Caroline let out a sigh and rolled her eyes, clearly not happy with her answer. "So, did Damon already ask you if you wanted to be his girlfriend?" the woman asked instead, searching for another interesting subject.

"Nope," Elena answered softly, clearly disappointed. "I thought if I would give him some time that he'd change his mind about the entire 'being in a relationship' kind of thing. Although he shows no sign of wanting to change our current situation, he seems to be rather comfortable knowing we're not seriously involved with other people."

"Maybe you should make him jealous!" the blonde exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

"Not a good idea, Care. Besides, I don't want to hang around with other guys. I've no problem with having a monogamous relationship. I don't feel the need to go rub myself against another male like a slut."

"I didn't say you had to do something like that," Caroline answered slightly hurt that Elena would think something like that. "I mean, I'm sure you don't have to go that far to make him jealous. Even when you're just talking to a guy, he's already getting worked up. Every time a man says something to you, he makes sure that it's clear that you're taken," her friend told her, not even exaggerating. The last time she had to endure watching a heavy make out session of her friends was because Damon wanted to show the entire Grill that Elena was his and that all the other guys had to stay away from her.

"I still don't think it's a good idea. I'm not going to push his limits, he said he needed time and that's exactly what I'm going to give him. I'm not willing to ruin what we have just because I'm becoming slightly impatient," Elena explained, closing her eyes for a second. Did she really say slightly? That was probably the understatement of the year, she thought sadly.

"You know what? It doesn't matter. All you have to do is give Damon the best weekend of his entire existence and he'll be begging you to become his girlfriend!" Caroline said, always staying positive. You never know what might happen.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 56<strong>

Exactly one day later, Elena was impatiently pacing around through the living room of the beach house. She'd arrived early in the morning, after a six hour road trip she might add, so she still had enough time left to decorate the place and make sure everything was ready. After she'd parked her car, she'd waited for the owner of the house to arrive. Luckily for her, it didn't take long.

A middle aged woman came walking towards her, handed her the keys, and wished her a lovely weekend before leaving her on her own. Once inside the house, she found a list of rules explaining exactly what the owners allowed and what was forbidden. She quickly read through the papers to make sure she wouldn't overstep any of the rules. Luckily, it was just the basic things like 'everything you break, you pay for'.

After putting the papers back in place, she went to her car and took all the suitcases out of the trunk. Caroline had helped her packing which meant she'd brought way more with her than necessary. With everything that was stocked up in the car, she could probably stay at the beach house for a month instead of a weekend.

To make sure she wouldn't ruin dinner, she'd even called a caterer and picked up the food right before she left Mystic Falls. Everything was ready. She just had to warm it up in the microwave. It was a huge relief that she didn't have to cook herself, otherwise she probably would've ruined their entire romantic evening.

She also brought a bag full of medicines in case she got sick again. For the moment, she was feeling okay though that could quickly change. She didn't want to stay in bed when she arranged the perfect getaway, so she had to be tough. Taking a few pills to calm her stomach wouldn't harm.

It was now almost five o'clock in the evening and she hoped that it wouldn't take much longer before Damon arrived. As an excuse to get away in the middle of the night, she'd told him that there was an emergency at work and that they'd asked her to come and help to solve the issue. In reality, she'd let Caroline call her at three in the morning. She'd told Damon that someone broke into the building of the Mystic Falls Gazette and that they expected that some pretty important documents were gone.

Of course it was a total set up, though she hoped that Damon would believe her story. She never gave him any reasons to believe otherwise; however, she had to admit, everything sounded a little over the top. That's what you get of course, if you let Caroline Forbes search for a good excuse.

Five minutes later, she received a text message from her friend. '_Everything's going perfectly. Damon has no idea that it's a set up. You're gonna rock his birthday tomorrow! Go Girl. We'll be there in 5. Good Luck. C_.' Elena had to smile when she finished reading the text. The fact that Damon didn't seem to know what was going on for real made her feel calmer, again. She'd been afraid all along that he would find out what they were planning. It would ruin the surprise, which was exactly what she was trying to prevent.

To check if everything was ready, she quickly ran through the house again. A satisfied grin appeared across her face when she decided that everything looked perfect. In the living room stood a large sofa which she decorated with a soft red blanket. After dinner, they could sit there and cuddle. Also, she'd put the CD player on and now you could hear soft, romantic music playing all over the house. On the terrace, they would have dinner. She set up the table and covered the balustrade with small candles. It looked perfectly romantic and the view was amazing. The beach was one of the most beautiful places she'd ever seen.

Before walking outside, she took a look in the mirror to see if she looked okay. She was wearing a velvet, crimson red dress together with a pair of matching heels. Underneath the dress was a brand new pair of black panties and a lace bra. She'd picked them out together with Caroline; obviously, they had to be extremely sexy.

The next three minutes were the longest of her life while she waited for Damon to arrive. When she saw Stefan's car from afar, her heart started to best faster and drum against her chest. The blood was coursing through her veins and she had to take a deep breath to relax. She was extremely nervous, though she had no idea as to why.

By the time the car finally came to a stop, only a few meters away from her, her heart was racing. When Damon stepped out of the vehicle, a confused look came across his face, though it quickly turned into a bright smile. "You!" he exclaimed, giving Caroline an accusing look before walking towards Elena and hugging her closely.

"What the hell is going on here?" he questioned when he finally let go of her. He turned around to see his brother grinning from ear to ear while Caroline tried to look all innocent.

"I wanted to give you a nice birthday surprise," Elena said, making him turn around again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer until their lips were touching successfully making him shut up. The sweet kiss rapidly turned into a heated one and they were both too far gone to hear the engine of the car start when Stefan and Caroline drove away. They'd done their part of the deal, now it was Elena's turn to give Damon a weekend he would never forget.

"That's why you've been acting so mysterious for the past days," Damon stated when they finally broke apart. He usually wasn't fond of surprises; however, this was a very interesting one. He didn't even know that Elena was aware of the fact that it was almost his birthday. He couldn't remember ever telling her, but of course she knew. The girl was friends with Caroline Forbes, the eternal chatterbox.

She simply nodded her head and gave him a quick peck on the lips, eye fucking him for a second, before walking towards the entrance of the beach house. In no time at all, they were on the terrace kissing each other. They just couldn't seem to stay away from each other. Damon hadn't even looked around before he took her in his arms again.

After another few minutes of kissing each other, Elena was the one who put distance between them again. "No, no, we're not going to ruin this perfectly arranged evening by ending up in bed before we even had dinner!" she said, shaking her head.

Damon gave her one of his most innocent looks, slightly pouting, but she didn't give in. "You look really cute like that," she told him, deliberately hitting a nerve. His features immediately changed and he gave her an accusing look.

"I do not look cute! Dashing, irresistible, take your pick, but there's no way that I will ever look cute!" he exclaimed, his eyes burning hers.

"Are you sure?" she taunted, taking a step forward and running her fingertips across his chest. She kept looking him in the eye the entire time, trying to drive him crazy. Without realizing it, she was doing an amazing job; his heartbeat had speed up drastically and he was close to losing his temper.

"Yes. I. Am. Sure. Elena," he answered as calmly as possible, letting out a deep breath.

"Good," she told him, giving him a quick peck on the cheek, before turning around and walking into the living room. "You can sit down already, I'm just gonna grab the food," she yelled at him from a distance.

Damon rolled his eyes when he thought back to her former stunt. She definitely knew how to get him all riled up. Now she was gone, he finally had the time to look around decently and enjoy the surroundings. The view was absolutely breathtaking. The beach looked endless and the soft sound of waves of water made everything even more impressive.

He was surprised she found such a beautiful place. He'd always had this feeling that something wasn't right when Caroline asked him to go look for a wedding location together so they knew his opinion. However, never in a million years had expected something like this to happen. He didn't think Elena would go such lengths just to surprise him. Nevertheless, he loved it. He couldn't be luckier than to have such a great girl besides him. He wouldn't know what to do without her.

Although even if he didn't know what he would do without her, he still didn't dare to ask her to become his girlfriend. Something inside him kept him from asking the question, something kept blocking him and he didn't know what it was. His insecurities just took over control every time he thought of being in a relationship.

When Elena came back, she brought a bottle of champagne with her and a shrimp salad for the two of them. "I'll open it," Damon spoke, pointing at the bottle and taking it from her while she put the salads on the table.

"You don't have to pour a glass for me, I'll just drink water. I'm still not feeling well and I'm afraid it'll only get worse if I drink alcohol," she told him while sitting down.

"Are you sure I should open this? I can drink water too. We can keep this one till you're feeling better," he proposed, sitting down on the other side of the table.

"No, you should open it, really," the reassured him. "I brought it especially for you," she added sheepishly. He had to smile at that and decided to open it anyway. If she wanted him to drink the champagne, he would. Honestly, who could resist a request of such a lovely lady? He knew he couldn't.

"Do you like it?" she asked a little nervous after he took a bite of the salad, an attentive look across her face while she watched him closely. When he nodded and gave her one of his million dollar smiles, she just couldn't help the tiny somersaults her chest made and her eyes started twinkling in happiness. The evening had started perfectly and she couldn't wait to see how everything would continue.

* * *

><p>After they finished dinner, Damon suggested that they take a walk on the beach since it was just too beautiful to neglect. When they were walking hand in hand together, their bare feet touching the cold sand, Elena felt eternally grateful for finding this amazing location. It was utterly romantic and she couldn't help but keep on smiling. Butterflies were flying around her stomach and her body felt like it was on fire every time Damon looked at her, his cobalt eyes shining brightly.<p>

"This is really nice," he told her softly, taking both of her hands in his and making her look him deeply in the eye. He leant in slowly, letting his head rest against hers for a while before their lips finally collided into a perfectly sweet kiss. No tongues were involved, their lips simply molded together, their bodies tangled. Love radiated between them and no words were necessary to explain their feelings, they just knew. In that moment, neither of them had felt more loved, their souls simply connected with each other, speaking louder than words ever would.

They were both afraid to voice their feelings, not bold enough to talk about their relationship, but deep down, they knew what they had was special. They knew they would never find another person who would fit so perfectly with them. They were soul mates, eternal twin flames and they loved each other deeply.

"I… I wouldn't know what to do without you," Elena stated when they broke apart. For a moment, she thought she would've been able to speak those three special words, though something was holding her back. She just had to be sure Damon wouldn't run as fast as he could as soon as she told him how she truly felt. She couldn't pour out her soul and be dumped a minute later. She knew he would never intentionally hurt her. She even believed he loved her in some way, though she had no idea how afraid he still was. She couldn't risk losing him so she'd rather stay in the dark about his feelings than ruin their relationship.

A smile appeared across his features when the words left her lips. He wouldn't know what to do without her either. She'd become such a big part of his life that he wouldn't be able to have a happy life without her in the picture. She truly had been the light in his darkness; she had come into his life when he needed her most. He always pretended he liked his way of living. He pretended to be happy but, secretly, he always had been waiting for a change. He had been waiting for someone to care for him and break down all his walls, someone that could bring back the real Damon who was hiding underneath a thick layer of shells to protect himself.

He'd changed a lot over the years, though not in a good way. As a teenager, the only thing he'd wanted was someone to love him for who he was. Everyone always kept trying to change him and he hated every part of it. His father kept telling him what a disappointment he was, teachers kept lecturing him about how much his grades went down after his mother passed away, and his dear uncle kept demanding he had to get over his loss and focus on the future instead of holding onto the past. No one ever understood how he truly felt, no one even cared enough to ask if he was still hurting. And if that wasn't enough already, he also had to take care of his little brother, the one that was too young to understand what a burden life could be at times.

He loved Stefan. He always had and he always would but there had been a time when he wished he had been an only child. He couldn't handle helping out his little brother to get through the pain of losing their mother when his wounds hadn't even had the time to heal themselves. He was forced to stay strong, to keep telling Stefan it would be okay, to keep waking up next to his crying brother and ease his fear when the boy had another horrifying nightmare. He couldn't mourn his mother, not properly because no one ever gave him the time.

Instead, he had the most unsatisfying youth you could possibly imagine, he had to fight hard in order to keep himself from falling apart. Today, after all those years, he knew it had been worth it and he was happy that he never gave up. He would never blame his brother; Stefan had just been a kid. After all the time that passed, he was at ease and he felt as if he was finally living in peace. His difficulties in the past shaped him into the man he was today. It taught him just how precious time could be. He was ready to live his life fully, no holding back anymore.

"I love you," he softly whispered, not believing his own ears. All this time, all of that, just to realize he was ready to take that step. He was ready to be open about his feelings to be with Elena. Why wait any longer if he knew what he wanted, what his heart ached for? He couldn't take her for granted and just believe that she would always be there without giving her something in return. He had to be completely honest with her, in order for their relationship to work. He couldn't bear the thought of her ever disappearing out of his life.

Elena was completely in shock, her body nailed to the ground, her mind trying to process what Damon had just told her. She had to blink a few times, let the words sink in slowly, before she finally realized what was happening. The intense jolt of pure joy that went through her body was indescribable and she felt as if she could cry out from happiness. Not able to pronounce any meaningful words, she just threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a deep and sensual kiss that made her toes curl.

When she finally pulled away to get some highly needed oxygen into her lungs, she smiled up at him, her eyes getting teary. "I love you, too," she confessed, her voice slightly breaking in the end. The happiness was coursing through her body, making her heart explode in bliss. The feelings that were going through her were simply not describable; no words would do them justice. She hadn't been expecting this, not at all even, though it was exactly what she needed. Finally, she felt as if her heart was whole again and the missing piece had found its place.

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><p><strong>This chapter came out way different than I expected. I was planning on writing some sexy smut scenes and a nice date, but suddenly they started talking about their feelings! I wanted to write the chapter differently, though I'm happy with the outcome and I simply couldn't change it anymore. I could've added a hot smut scene afterwards, though for some reason, I felt like it was better to end the chapter like this.<strong>

**I hope you all liked it. **

**Please leave me a review and let me know your thoughts!**

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**Xoxo**


	16. The Truth Lies Within

**Finally! Here's the next chapter! A big thank you to **Phyrfli** for wanting to beta this chapter and to Mirna for being my awesome pre-reader! And of course to all of you who reviewed the last chapter! I still can't believe so many of you are reading my work! **

**Warning: This chapter is the start of an emotional rollercoaster. We'll get drama, lots of it! So be warned and don't hate me!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine.**

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**Chapter 15**

** The Truth Lies Within **

**Day 60**

Elena couldn't seem to stop smiling. Ever since Damon told her he loved her, a bright smile had been covering her face. They hadn't talked about their relationship anymore, though those three little words had made her heart swell and made her feel confident about their future _together_, as a couple.

Their walk across the beach had ended earlier than planned thanks to their sudden confession of love and was punctuated by some intense lovemaking in the living room of the cabin. She had forgotten about all the things she and Caroline had packed to begin a romantic night, they simply hadn't needed anything to get in the mood. Of course the following morning, Damon had found the whipped cream and strawberries in the fridge and he'd woken her up in a very delightful way. The massage oil also had been useful… though she probably could use a massage now more than ever since her entire body felt sore.

The weekend had simply been amazing and she had still trouble processing what had happened. She hadn't known how important it was to her to hear him say those three words until he finally did. It had finally given her the assurance she needed to keep fighting, to keep trying to change his mind about relationships and earn his trust.

She always thought she could be with him, love him, without Damon returning her feelings. Although, now she realized that their relationship would've never worked if he hadn't opened up to her. She needed someone by her side that loved her and cared for her, someone that always would be there for her. Bonnie had been right, she couldn't be in a relationship that had no future, she wasn't a 'friends with benefits' kind of girl, she wanted it all.

And finally, after two months, she had convinced him that being in a relationship wasn't that bad. She had made him see the perks of being with someone. He was still afraid of being so close to someone, she was sure of it, though he seemed to be ready to take the risk. Why else would he tell her he loved her?

"Babe, I'm home," Damon called from the hallway, making Elena turn around in surprise. When he walked in, she immediately noticed he was in a great mood, it seemed as if he couldn't stop smiling. He walked towards her and pulled her into a tight hug, before kissing her lips gently.

"What's gotten you in such a good mood?" she questioned, giggling a little when he pulled back from their kiss.

"I have some really good news," he told her, still holding her in his arms while he let his head rest against hers. It felt really nice to be so close together and the past few days he'd kept touching her, just wanting to be near her.

She waited for him to continue, her eyes boring into his as if trying to search for answers. "The Grill's for sale and my boss asked me if I was interested in buying the place. He knows I have always dreamed of having my own restaurant and now he's giving me the chance to actually make that dream come true," Damon told her, the smile across his face widening even more. He looked so young and happy, she thought, a smile appearing on her features as well.

"That's great!" she exclaimed, pulling him in for another kiss. Although when she pulled back, she saw his bright smile had disappeared and turned into a frown. "What wrong?" she asked worried, not understanding how he could be so happy one moment and look so desperate the next.

"It's indeed a wonderful opportunity, but now I come to think of it. I've no idea if the bank will loan me that much money. I mean, with the economic crisis that's going on, what if they don't want to give me enough money to pay for the Grill?" he questioned, suddenly aware of the fact that it wouldn't be easy. When his boss told him the news, he'd be ecstatic, he didn't even think twice about it before driving home, desperately wanting to tell Elena about the news he'd received.

"You don't have to worry about money, babe. My uncle left me more than enough to buy the Grill, it would be a good investment." In all honesty, she wouldn't know how to spend her money in a better way than to help make Damon's dream come true.

"No, I don't even want to think about it. There's no way I'm using your money to buy the place. I won't," he told her fiercely.

"If this is about pride…" Elena tried to say, though he interrupted her.

"Elena, I won't use it and that's the end of this argument. You shouldn't use your money to help me out, just because I'm that poor guy. Use it for something you want, hell, give it away to charity, I doesn't matter to me, but I won't ever take even a dollar from you," he explained.

"Really? That _poor_ guy? I don't see you as a poor guy, Damon. It doesn't matter to me that you don't have a huge bank account. I love you and that's what matters the most," she assured him, wrapping her arms tightly around him, trying to make a point. She knew it was his pride that was standing in the way, she knew he didn't want to take her money because he didn't want to _use_ her. He was too proud of what he'd done in the past to take money from someone else, he needed to do this on his own.

"Let's make a deal, I'll LOAN you the money and you'll just pay it back when the Grill's making lots of profit, and I can assure you it will with such a master chef in the kitchen," she winked, giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"I don't know, Elena… I…," he started.

"I promise you, it's a good idea. You're not _using_ my money, just loaning it for a while," she went on, hoping to convince him. She really wanted to help him out, make his dream come true, but he had to let her be there for him.

After a while he nodded his head in defeat, knowing it was a bad idea to argue with Elena Gilbert, he was bound to lose. "I guess that was our first argument," he told her smiling.

"First of the many that will follow," she told him, honestly, knowing they would have lots of disagreements in the future. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he said, softly stroking her cheek. "I can't believe it took me this long to realize we're just perfect for each other," he added, making her smile. There were so many emotions going through her, but happiness was certainly one of the most important ones. She would never get tired of hearing him say those words.

"So Elena Gilbert, what do you think, do you want to become my girlfriend for real?" he asked her, trying to sound as cheerful as possible, hiding his nerves. He couldn't believe he was really willing to try this again, though once he saw the bright smile appearing across her features, he knew it would be worth it.

She eagerly nodded her head, unable to pronounce any words and pulled him in for yet another kiss. She knew they still had a lot of demons to overcome, but in the end, everything would be alright. She could feel it, they were meant to be together and nothing would stop her from fighting for what she wanted, from fighting for him.

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><p><strong>Day 61<strong>

Caroline and Elena had a meeting at the Grill today. After Elena told her friend Damon finally asked her to become his girlfriend, the two girls just couldn't stop chattering and they decided to go out together so they could continue their cheerful day. Stefan was already getting annoyed by their behavior and told them, they were even worse than two sixteen years old teenagers.

He'd been trying to work in his office downstairs, across from the living room, but the girls had been too noisy and he couldn't work properly. Caroline had felt bad about it, she didn't want to disturb her fiancé and they decided together that it would be better if they went out for the day.

Luckily, today was a calm day and there weren't too many people at the Grill. Elena had explained to her friend how Damon and she were planning on buying the tavern. It would be the perfect opportunity to finally turn the local bar into a real restaurant. Although there was still a lot of work, they would have to change the interior, change the menu and more importantly buy some extra stuff to use in the kitchen. At the moment, they only had the basics like a microwave, a few pans, a small stove and dishwasher. It would take some time and a lot of money before they could start of for real.

Damon was already searching for an interior specialist to help them out and a handyman that could help to get the work done. He was planning on closing the Grill for a few weeks so they had enough time to get everything ready. But first, they still had to close the deal and make sure the Grill was theirs for sure.

"You still haven't touched your lunch," Caroline told her, slightly annoyed. They had been sitting in the Grill for a while now, though Elena seemed far away. After leaving the boarding house, her friend had been much quieter than usual.

"I don't have an appetite, I'm not feeling well, I guess," she answered softly, her stomach doing somersaults in a bad way.

"Elena, are you pregnant?" Caroline suddenly figuring out, her eyes widening.

"What? Of course not!" Elena immediately exclaimed.

"Are you sure? I mean, you're sick all the time, have these weird cravings, you're more tired than usual and you have moods swings all the time," her friend explained. Elena never really thought of the possibility. She just thought she was ill.

"I don't know. I mean, I'm on birth control, you can't get pregnant if you're on birth control, right?" she questions, her face turning pale while her hands started to shake slightly.

"Usually not, though there's still a possibility. Did you use extra protection while you were sick? I mean antibiotics can reduce the effectiveness of birth control and it's best to use something else, like a condom to be sure you won't get pregnant. Also, if you're throwing up, your pills don't have the chance to work properly," the blonde explained, feeling proud of herself for knowing all these things. She read the manual! The doctor advised her to read the booklet that was in the box together with the birth control pills so she knew exactly how it worked.

"Oh god," Elena whispered, her face paling another few shades. She never even thought of using extra protection while being sick, since she didn't have sex while she felt unwell. She never thought of the fact that birth control needed time to work properly. How could she be so stupid and irresponsible? She couldn't be pregnant.

It was not an option. Her relationship with Damon was still too fragile to have a baby. She didn't want to ruin his life. He still had trouble trusting her and being in a relationship with her. What would happen if he was pushed into something he didn't want? She couldn't let that happen. Damon was such a loyal person, he would never let her raise the child on her own. He would want to marry her and raise the kid together. And no matter how much she wanted to be with him, she didn't want to marry him for the wrong reasons. She didn't want him to stay together with her, just because they were having a baby.

They weren't ready for this, they still had so much to figure out before they could ever start a family of their own. Damon had trust issues and insecurities, she didn't want to lose him, though ruining his life wasn't an option either. She couldn't help but feel like this was the worst thing that could possibly happen.

"Hey, hey," Caroline said, "It's not a sure thing yet," she reassured, though Elena already knew what was going on. Something inside of her… something told her Caroline was right. She, Elena Gilbert, was unexpectedly pregnant and it wasn't a good thing. She didn't want this baby, she didn't plan on having it. It felt wrong and she knew it wasn't the baby's fault, though she couldn't stop the depressing thoughts that went through her mind.

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><p>Two hours later the girls were nervously waiting in bathroom on the upper level of the boarding house. After figuring out there was a possibility that Elena was indeed pregnant, they ran towards the closest pharmacy and bought a bunch of pregnancy tests. Caroline told the cashier that she suspected she was pregnant and that her husband and she were ecstatic, the truth was less joyful, though Elena wanted no one to know about her worries.<p>

She had to be sure herself before she could let anyone reckon that she was expecting a baby. She still hadn't processed what was going on and it wouldn't be until her worries were confirmed that she would believe her life really turned into this kind of hell. Everything was just starting to fall into the right place, her relationship with Damon was developing perfectly and she finally felt happy. Then this, of course, has to happen and she can feel herself breaking down slowly, but effectively.

This wasn't supposed to happen, she still wanted to do so many things before she would start trying to get pregnant. She was only twenty five, she hadn't even thought of the possibility of ever becoming a mom. She wanted a career, wanted to travel around the world and afterwards she would settle down, not like this.

"Elena, it's time to look at the test," her friend said, interrupting her thoughts and bringing her back to earth. In all honestly, she didn't want to look, she didn't want to know if she ruined her life or not. It was a reality she was not ready for.

When her eyes fell on the tiny glass of the test, all the hope left her body and she broke down completely, the tears streaming down her cheeks. She had done it. She'd ruined her only chance of happiness in a blink. "C'mere," Caroline said, pulling Elena into her arms, letting her cry against her chest.

The poor woman was sitting down on the floor in a fetal position, her arms wrapped firmly around her knees while her friend tried to calm her down. Caroline soothingly rubbed her friend's back, though Elena couldn't stop crying. Tears kept rolling down her cheeks until there weren't any left.

"It's all going to be okay," Caroline reassured her, when Elena finally calmed down after her violent outburst. The woman just shook her head, still trying to catch her breath. It would never be okay again. She wasn't ready to have a child, they weren't ready. There was no one that it ever would be okay.

"You just have to tell Damon what's going on and you'll both figure a way out to make this work," the blonde suggested. She knew this was difficult for her friend, she knew the poor girl wasn't ready to be a mom. However, Elena would be a great mother, the best anyone could ask for, she was sure of it.

"I can't," she sobbed, "that's the entire problem," Elena said, close to another break down.

"What do you mean? Why can't you tell Damon the truth? He has the right to know he's going to be a father," Caroline stated. It was Elena's duty to tell her boyfriend that they were expecting a baby together, even if they didn't plan it or want it.

"It would ruin his life, Care. He doesn't want to be a father. Hell, he doesn't even want to be in a serious relationship. I can't ruin his life by bringing a baby into it. He'll feel forced to raise the child and he'll be unhappy for the rest of his life," Elena explained, all her hope far gone.

"What? How can you be so sure that he doesn't want a baby? That's ridiculous, Lena. He IS in a relationship with you, why wouldn't he want that? You won't know how he feels until you confront him about this whole situation!" the blonde exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air.

"You can say whatever you want, Caroline, but I'm not changing my mind about this. Damon can't know about the baby, not ever. I'm not willing to ruin the progress he made the past few months. I'll find a way to get out of his life as fast as I can and make sure he never has to know he became a father."

"Oh no, you're not doing this, Elena! I swear to god, I won't let you!" Caroline told her frustrated. "You will not make that mistake!"

"It's not a mistake, Caroline, it's a sacrifice. I'm willing to give up my life in Mystic Falls, to make sure that Damon will be happy and live the life he deserves, live fully and unconditionally. I can easily move back to San Francisco and raise this baby on my own, I'm sure Bonnie would love to help me out."

"You're crazy, you know that? You're crazy if you think that Damon will ever let go of you again."

"He has to, there's no other option."

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><p><strong>It's probably not the longest chapter I have written, but certainly the most emotional and unexpected one. So Elena doesn't want to tell Damon about the baby. I'm sure most of you hate her for it, though she has her own reasons, even if they're foolish, it's what she believes to be the truth. <strong>

**I'm sure you need some spoilers after such a heavy chapter, right? Well, please review and you'll get them ;)**

**Let me know what you think!**

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**Xoxo**


	17. Falling Apart

**I'm back with another chapter! Although I have to warn you, my exams start in two weeks so I won't be able to update as quickly anymore. I'll try to update every two weeks, but no promises. **

**Before you start reading the chapter you should know that the real drama and angst is about to begin. Things will get worse before they start getting better again. But remember, after rain comes sunshine ;)**

**Thank you my wonderful beta reader Jamie and pre-reader Mirna for helping me out with the chapter! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine.**

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**Chapter 16**

**Falling Apart**

** Day 65**

The deal was finally sealed; Damon would become the new owner of the Mystic Grill. He still couldn't believe it himself and was extremely happy. The past few days had been hectic and he had to run around a lot before everything was finally said and done. Although in the end, it was worth it because it meant that he could finally start his own restaurant.

Even Carol Lockwood had come around to visit and congratulate him. She'd been very pleased to hear his plans and told him she was looking forward to the opening of the tavern. She couldn't wait to see how everything would look like once the Grill got its makeover. The place definitely could use a renovation and most of the residents of the town seemed to be favorable about the changes that would soon take place.

Stefan had made sure all the paperwork was done properly and they wouldn't have any problems any time soon. His soon to be wife, Caroline, of course had to have a conversation with the interior decorator about what kind of look the place needed. She felt as if it was her responsibility to make sure the woman did her work decently. Anna, their interior designer, looked like a very reliable woman who knew what she was doing.

Together with her mother, Pearl, she started her own business. However, after her mother passed away, she had to run the company by herself. Thankfully, her new boyfriend Jeremy offered to help her out since he was a great designer. Nowadays, they worked closely together and did some magnificent jobs with old houses. They were exactly what Damon had been searching for.

He couldn't have been more happy and everything was going just fine. There was only one problem, _Elena_. For some reason, she had been really distant the past few days. She was in a bad mood almost all the time and she looked kind of sad, though he had no idea why. The worst thing about the entire situation was that she didn't want to talk to him about it. Even after all the progress they made, all the talking they had done… she didn't want to open up to him and it felt horrible.

He wanted to help her out, desperately even, but he had no idea what to do. He didn't even know what the problem was in the first place. He'd tried everything he could think of from being upfront and asking her what was going on to being nice and having a lovely dinner to being mad… nothing worked. She kept her distance at all times and it seemed as if they were further apart than ever. She'd closed herself of from the world and didn't even talk to Caroline anymore. It was a horrifying thing to watch but there was nothing left he could do.

He knew that pushing her wouldn't solve the issue. She was Elena Gilbert, after all; the stubborn woman he came to love deeply. He could try and fight her as much as he wanted to but only Elena could overcome this certain thing she was having trouble with. She had to want to talk about it herself, otherwise there was nothing left to fix.

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><p>It was almost noon when Elena finally arrived at Jenna's house. The two of them had agreed upon going to the gynecologist together since Elena was scared to go by herself. Caroline and Jenna both kept telling her she should be honest with Damon and go to her first ultrasound together with her boyfriend, though she was still against the idea of telling him the truth.<p>

Everything had been so perfect. They were finally starting to become really close because he even admitted his true feelings. It was a huge progress and more than she ever expected to happen. It had felt as if her dreams were finally coming true; and then, of course, something bad had to happen, like it always did. She should've known better than to forget about the contraception, and while she knew that she wasn't the only one to blame, she still felt kind of responsible since she was the one who should have read the manual of her birth control more carefully.

She couldn't tell Damon about the baby, she just couldn't. She knew him well enough to know that he would feel the need to take care of her and the baby. He would be at her side at all times not because it was his choice, but because he felt obliged to do the right thing. He wasn't ready to be in a serious relationship. What if he changed his mind? What if he became unhappy because of her and the baby? She didn't want him to feel obliged to take care of them. She didn't want to tie him down.

It wouldn't be good for either of them. In time, he'd realize that _this_ life, wasn't the one he wanted and he'd regret the decision he made. He'd become unhappy and that was exactly what she was trying to prevent. She wanted him to become a strong person, he deserved a life full of happiness and joy. It would break her heart if he'd start having second thoughts about their relationship.

Being together because of a child didn't do it for her. Their baby deserved a beautiful life, to be surrounded by love and people that cared about him or her. She didn't want her daughter or son to grow up in an empty household, with parents that were both unhappy. She only wanted the best for her little miracle and at the moment, Damon and she were far from being a stable couple. It took Damon an awful lot of time to realize that he wanted to have a serious relationship and not just a fling, how long would it take before he wanted a family? Did he even want a family of his own? They never talked about it.

Soon after she rang the bell, Jenna opened the door. "Come on in," she smiled, stepping aside so Elena could pass. "I was just making some herb tea," the woman continued, while walking towards the kitchen. "According to the book I bought, it's healthy to drink herb tea during your pregnancy. Also, you should drink a lot of water," she advised.

They still had about half an hour before they had to leave for the appointment with Dr. Fell and Jenna decided she would have a serious talk with Elena about keeping the pregnancy a secret. She understood what the girl's motives were, though that didn't mean she agreed with Elena's decision. To be honest, Jenna thought that her friend was making a huge mistake. Damon deserved to know the truth.

After Elena told her what was going on, she had been shocked to say the least. Of course she'd noticed the mood swings and sudden illness, though she thought it was because Elena was under a lot of pressure. The poor girl had been through a lot and had a stressful life, it never even occurred to her that Elena could be pregnant.

"You bought a pregnancy book?" Elena questioned, surprised. "You do know that it's me who's the pregnant one, right?"

"Ha, ha, very funny!" Jenna sarcastically answered. "Of course I know you're the pregnant one. That's exactly why I bought the book. I want to be able to help you during the most scary months of your life. I'm here to tell you it's all going to be okay and to make sure you're healthy so we won't put the baby at risk," she explained carefully, slightly worried. She knew Elena wouldn't do anything to harm the baby purposely, but at the moment she wasn't exactly stress-free either.

"You don't have to feel responsible, Jenna. I can do this, I don't need anyone to help me. The only reason why I'm letting you come with me today is because you were so persistent and wanted to see the ultrasound so badly," Elena answered quickly. She knew Jenna was only trying to help her out but, at the moment, she wasn't the best company. She rather have stayed home alone, surrounded by silence so she could think about her future in peace.

"Wait a minute," Jenna said, suddenly alerted. "You're not planning on leaving Mystic Fall's, right?" she questioned, worried about what Elena's answer would be.

"I don't know, Jenna, I honestly have no idea what I'm going to do. I can't tell Damon the truth, but on the other hand, I just can't leave everyone and everything behind either," she told her friend, sadly. Leaving would be the easiest solution to prevent Damon from ever finding out about the baby, though it wouldn't be an easy task. She finally found a true home, how could she leave all of this behind? How could she start over after everything that happened?

Surely, she could go back to San Francisco and move in with Bonnie and her boyfriend, though it wouldn't be the same anymore. She had been gone for far too long to just pick up her old life and act as if nothing ever happened. It wouldn't work. She liked to believe it would but, if she was honest with herself, she knew it wasn't the best option.

"You're not taking the easy way out, Elena. I won't let you!" Jenna lectured. "How can you think for even a second that Damon would let go of you that easily? He LOVES you, Elena. He won't let you leave without a solid reason as for why you would move back to the city. He will keep on fighting to get you back. Is that what you want? To make him unhappy, make him feel like a moron for even thinking you'd love him back? Because that's exactly how he will feel, Elena. I know him. Damon will think you never even cared about him because you won't give him a reason to believe otherwise," the woman exclaimed furiously.

She wouldn't let Elena get away this easily. There was no way she would let something like that happen; it would kill Damon. She wouldn't let this girl hurt her friend. She had kept the pregnancy a secret, even from her own husband, but she would no longer keep it up if she knew for sure that Elena was going to leave.

"I do love him. That's exactly why I'm making this decision. Do you think this is easy for me? Leaving everyone behind that I care about, leaving the reason of my existence? He means everything to me, Jenna. He's the reason I came this far, the reason why I didn't give up. I can't even imagine a life without him anymore which is why I can't tell him. I love him too much, to ruin his future. He deserves far more than to be stuck with a pregnant woman. I don't want to tie him down, he will hate me forever because I pushed him into this."

"Do you even hear yourself, Elena? That's just bullshit. Pardon my language, but you are so wrong! If you truly loved him, you wouldn't leave him behind," Jenna answered softly, sighing. "Please, think about it," the woman practically begged.

"I will," Elena nodded. She knew Jenna was right, leaving Damon behind would hurt him just as much, though she hoped that in the end, he would move on and find someone else to live happily ever after with. She already accepted the fact that it wouldn't be her. It couldn't be. If she would stay and tell him about the baby, he'd feel the urge to take care of the both of them and she didn't want him to do that because he felt obliged, but because he loved them.

"We have to leave now. Otherwise, we'll be late for the appointment," she spoke, getting out of the couch and taking her keys from the coffee table.

Jenna nodded, knowing that their conversation was over. Elena was a stubborn woman and she knew that there was no way she could convince her. The only thing she could hope for was that Elena would realize in time what a huge mistake she was about to make.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, Elena was impatiently waiting in the doctor's office. Jenna was sitting beside her, giving her a reassuring smile from time to time. She was feeling nervous, afraid of what the doctor would tell her. She just hoped the baby was alright. The past few days, all she could think about was how stupid she had been and what a mistake she had made. She'd forgotten all about the little miracle that was growing inside of her belly. She felt ashamed to know that this was the first time she worried about the baby's health. What if something was wrong?<p>

She might not be overly happy with her pregnancy, but that didn't mean she didn't care about the baby. As a matter of fact, she would be devastated if something went wrong. She was the worst mom possible and she hadn't even given birth to the baby yet. What kind of mother saw her child as a mistake?

"Ms. Gilbert?" the nurse shouted, bringing Elena back to earth. "Doctor Fell is ready to see you," the woman said, before leading the way toward the doctor's office. Elena smiled at her politely, praying everything would be alright.

The moment she stepped into the office, she felt her nerves going in overdrive and she actually had to take Jenna's hand in hers to stay calm. "It'll be okay," the woman whispered softly, making sure Elena was the only one that heard her. "I hope so," Elena murmured.

The room was painted in a pale shade of green which was perfect to make people feel at home. Most of the walls were decorated with paintings of mothers and their children, though there were also a few interesting posters about healthcare during a pregnancy. Elena looked around attentively, trying to calm down her nerves.

"Ms. Gilbert," the doctor smiled politely when she walked into the office, shaking hands. Elena guessed she must be in her mid-thirties. She had long dark brown hair and was dressed in one of those typical doctor coats. For some reason, Elena immediately felt a liking towards the woman. She seemed nice but still professional. "And this is…?" she questioned.

"Jenna, Elena's friend," Jenna answered smiling, shaking hands with the doctor as well.

"Well good morning ladies, you may sit down if you want to," Dr. Fell said, pointing at the seats in front of her desk. It was a small office, but still big enough to have no difficulties working in. "So Ms. Gilbert, is this your first appointment with a gynecologist?" Meredith Fell questioned, while opening a document on her computer so she could take notes.

"It is," Elena answered shyly, sitting down in front of the desk. She fondled her hands nervously, looking down at her lap.

"Do you know how far along you are?" Dr. Fell asked, looking at Elena. An understanding smile appeared across her lips when she saw how nervous the girl looked.

"About five weeks I suspect," Elena spoke softly, still a little uncomfortable. For some reason, she didn't dare to look up. She just felt so… vulnerable.

"Well, we'll find out soon. First, I'm going to ask you a few questions regarding your health and stuff like that. Afterwards, we're going to do a few tests and you'll get to see the first ultrasound of the baby. Is that alright with you?" Meredith Fell questioned, giving her patient a reassuring smile.

"Sounds great," Elena told her, letting out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

After a few minutes, they were done with the questions. The doctor had to know about her family medical record and if she had any kind of hereditary disease. Also, she needed to know about Elena's medical history to make sure the baby would be alright. Most of the questions, Elena had been expecting like if she smoked or used alcohol. However, she didn't know she had to tell the doctor if her parents ever had a hereditary disease. In fact, she had no idea if her parents had been entirely healthy. She didn't know if anyone in her family had a history of diabetes or a split spine. Although it seemed rather important to know now.

Maybe she should ask Bonnie to look through the medical reports of her family the past years. It probably wasn't entirely legal, though she had to know for sure that none of her family members suffered from a dangerous disease.

The doctor did a few tests and, after they were done, they would finally watch the ultrasound. "Are you ready?" Meredith questioned. "I might warn you, this can be a little cold," the doctor told Elena before she put the sticky stuff on her belly.

Elena took a sharp intake of breath; it was indeed cold, though it only latest for about a second. "And there's your baby," Dr. Fell smiled, pointing at the screen. Tears started pooling in Elena's eyes when she saw the little life Damon and she created for the first time. Even though she couldn't make much out of the images, it still looked so wonderful. That was _her_ baby, her little miracle on the small screen.

"At this moment, the baby's backbone is starting to form while the brain and the nervous system are developing," the doctor explained, pointing at the screen once again to show where the backbone was located. Elena looked at it in awe, still overwhelmed by the mixed feelings that were going through her mind.

"You're baby still very small, about the size of a grain of rice, though you can already discern the baby's head," Meredith went on.

While the doctor explained more about the baby, tears kept streaming down Elena's face. How could she ever think of the baby as a mistake? It was a miracle! Looking at the screen, her heart started to beat frantically and a warm feeling spread through her. That little fetus was her baby, her beautiful child. The feeling of intense happiness surprised her and soon a smile appeared across her features. She was pregnant, she was going to have a baby, and she would become a responsible mother. She couldn't back down, she couldn't abandon her own kid. No, she would fight for this little miracle and do everything in her power to give it the most perfect life.

* * *

><p>It was already late at night when Elena finally arrived home. After going to the doctor's appointment together, Elena stayed at Jenna's house for a while. She told herself it was because she liked the woman's company though, deep down, she knew it was so she could avoid Damon. She just couldn't look at him; not when she was keeping such a big secret from him. She was ashamed of herself; however, she still couldn't bear to tell him the truth.<p>

"There you are," Damon smiled when she walked into the living room. "Where have you been?" he questioned, walking closer towards her. He was about to kiss her when she took a step back.

He gave her a confused look, not fully understanding what was going on. "Elena, what's happening? Why won't you talk to me?" he asked softly, his face sad. He was desperate to know what the reason was for her sudden change of heart.

When he was staring at her like that, his eyes filled with desperation and sadness. She wanted to pull him into an embrace and tell him everything would be okay,_ they_ would be okay, but she couldn't do that. She couldn't tell him more lies. The truth was, it wasn't going to be okay and she had no idea how to tell him that she was planning on leaving him behind.

"Don't do this, Damon," she told him, closing her eyes and letting out a deep sigh. "Please, don't," she begged, not wanting to have another fight with him. She couldn't explain to him what was going on. All she could hope for was that he would get the hint and leave her alone.

"No, Elena, don't start this crap again! I want to know the truth! I deserve an explanation. You've been in a bad mood for the past week now, not wanting to talk to me, avoiding me like a plague," he exclaimed, raising his voice a few octaves.

"Just leave me alone, Damon, I don't want to talk to you," she answered softly, the disappointment clear in her voice. How did she make such a mess out of this? Not even a week ago, she'd felt like the happiest person in the world.

"You're having second thoughts," he said slowly, almost inaudible. "You don't want to be in a relationship with me," he added, shaking his head furiously. "I knew it, I knew this would happen!" he started yelling, throwing his hands up in the air out of frustration.

"Damon, that's not true!" she said, though he wouldn't listen to her, instead he just started pacing around through the living room. "Listen to me, I do want to be together with you!" she explained, her eyes growing wide. "Damon!"

"How can you say that, when all you have done the past week is avoiding me? Why won't you talk to me? Just be honest Elena, be honest for _once_ and tell me how you really feel," he said, his voice slightly breaking in the end. She'd never seen him this vulnerable, this fragile and it scared the shit out of her. He looked at her intensely, as if the world depended on her answer.

"Damon, please you have to believe me, I love you, I do. I just.. I can't be with you," she whimpers softly, a tear rolling down her cheek. She was breaking his heart. She could see it in the way his face turned cold and it made it all the more difficult not to pull him closer and remove the sad look on his face. She never intended on hurting him, but she did and there was no way she could ever make this up to him.

"Okay," he told her, "At least you've been honest," and with that, he took his keys and left the room, slamming the door close. The banging sound echoed through the house, before everything went silent, except for the soft sobbing of a broken woman.

Elena was shuddering, tears covering her face when she stared in front of her looking at the empty space where Damon stood just a few seconds ago. It was done, he hated her. She finally had what she wanted all along, she could leave. But why did it feel so bad? Why did it feel as if her heart had just shattered into a million of pieces?

* * *

><p>After his fight with Elena, Damon drove to the nearest bar ready to drink himself into a stupor. He didn't care about anything anymore. Elena, sweet Elena, didn't want to be in a relationship with him and it hurt more than he ever thought possible. He'd kept his heart safe and secure for almost a decade, but then of course he had to ruin everything. He fell into the trap of yet another woman and now he could start licking his wounds all over again.<p>

How had he been so stupid? How could he believe a word of what she said? He should've known all along that something like this would happen. No woman wanted to stay with him. They all used him for their own entertainment and afterwards they just dumped him as if nothing ever happened. As if he meant nothing to them.

He should've known she would turn out to be just like Katherine, staying with him until she was bored and then leaving him behind. It was always the same thing, over and over again. He was good enough to keep someone's bed warm, but as time went by, women got tired of him and threw him out. Once they noticed he wasn't a rich and successful person, they ran, without ever looking back.

It was the reason why he never wanted to have a serious relationship with anyone. He knew that in the end, he would end up hurting. Meaningless sex was so much easier because he didn't have to think about anyone's feelings. The only thing that was important was his own satisfaction. None of those women could ever hurt him because he never let them come close enough. They meant nothing to him. The only person he'd cared about over the years was his brother, and Ric of course.

"I see you're already entertaining yourself, Mr. Salvatore. You sure you still need me here?" a voice asked, coming to stand next to him.

"Ric, buddy, of course you're still welcome!" he grinned, giving his friend the bottle of scotch he just ordered. He could've just asked for a glass, though he knew he would need a lot more of alcohol before he calmed down. Today, he would just drink as much as he wanted, preferably making him forget about everything.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, you haven't been drinking this much in ages. I thought you were finally growing up," Alaric suggested, a look of worry across his face. He'd known all along that when Damon texted him, something was up. Though he didn't think it would be this bad. He hadn't seen him like this since… well, since Katherine happened which was a long, long time ago. He didn't think he'd ever see his friend this unhappy and lost again.

"If you're here to lecture me, leave. I don't need another fucking argument today!" Damon exclaimed, slamming his fist down onto the top of the bar, his eyes burning with anger.

"Jeez, what happened that you're in such a bad mood?" Ric questioned, his eyes widening in surprise after his friend's sudden outburst.

"I don't want to talk, Ric. The only reason I texted you was because I needed a drink buddy, but if you're not interested then, please, leave me the hell alone!" he answered briskly, closing his eyes for a moment to calm his temper.

"Don't worry, I'll keep my mouth shut," his friend answered softly, knowing Damon needed someone to stay by his side at the moment. Someone who wouldn't judge him and just be there for him. The only thing Alaric could do was make sure he ended up home safely once he was done drinking the entire alcohol supply of the bar. Damon become unstoppable and unreasonable once he was mad. He wouldn't listen, not even to his best friend.

* * *

><p>It was past three o'clock at night when Damon finally returned home. Alaric had made sure his buddy would come home safe and sound, even when Damon didn't fully agree. By the end of the night, he'd been so wasted that he didn't even have the strength to fight his friend. But even with all the alcohol in his system, he still couldn't seem to forgot about Elena.<p>

It was awful; she haunted him, everywhere. He couldn't even rest for a single second before her face would appear in his mind, her bright chocolate eyes staring at him intensely while her long, chestnut brown hair fell across her shoulders, making her look like a pure goddess.

He shook his head in disappointment. He couldn't believe he was thinking about her again, after everything she put him through. How come once everything was finally falling into place, his life had to be turned upside down all over again? Why couldn't he be happy for just a second without having to worry about the future?

He was just planning on walking out of the bathroom when his eyes fell on something in the dustbin; he picked up the object and his eyes widened in shock. A pregnancy test.

* * *

><p><strong>Tada! A lovely cliffhanger. <strong>

**He knows! Ready for the next fight? ;)**

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**Xoxo**


	18. Confrontation

**First of all, thank you for all the wonderful reviews guys! I got 30 of them last chapter, which is the most I've gotten so far for this story! And of course, also a big thank you to Jamie for beta reading the chapter and Mirna for pre-reading! I love you, girls!**

**The rollercoaster of emotions has officially started! It's going to be a rough ride, but keep in mind that it always gets better in the end. I'm not a big fan of bad endings.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine. **

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**Chapter 17**

**Confrontation **

**Day 66**

It was past eight in the morning when Elena came walking downstairs. She hadn't been able to sleep much that night because she knew Damon was out there somewhere. She had been worried, to say the least, and felt immensely relieved when she'd heard Ric's car driving up the lane in the middle of the night; Damon was home and safe. She'd wanted to go downstairs and talk to him, to apologize for the way she acted, though she decided against the idea knowing he'd still be mad.

She'd said some things she regretted deeply and she didn't know whether to fix their relationship or ran as fast as she could. She'd thought about what Jenna told her during the lonely hours she'd spent waiting for Damon to come home. In some ways Jenna had been right. Taking off without giving Damon a decent explanation wouldn't solve the issue; he'd probably come after her and that was exactly what she was trying to prevent.

However, she still didn't feel comfortable with telling him the truth. She was afraid to see his reaction. What if she had been right all along? What if he really didn't want to become a father? She couldn't bear to make him more unhappy than he already was.

Walking into the living room, she saw Damon standing in front of her with a glass of bourbon in his hand. Although his back was turned towards her, she could tell that he looked pale and entirely exhausted. Her heart ached looking at him. When he turned around and saw her, his eyes turned wide before they darkened. His anger was prominently displayed on his face. He took a step closer towards her but then stopped about a meter away from her, his eyes piercing hers.

"When were you planning on telling me?" he questioned suddenly, his voice low and almost inaudible. She blinked rapidly, a surprised look showing across her features. That wasn't what she had been expecting.

"What do you mean?" she asked dumbfounded, gazing at him warily. He looked incredibly mad, furious even. She couldn't remember a time when she saw him like this; his eyes burning with anger, his body tense.

"Don't play stupid with me, Elena. You know well enough what I'm talking about!" he shouted furiously. His anger taking over any traces of remaining self-control. "I found the damn pregnancy test in OUR bathroom!"

Her eyes widened in shock and her entire body started to shake. She felt as if she was going to faint at any minute. _He… he found out?_ Her heartbeat accelerated drastically and she started to feel slightly dizzy.

"Answer the damn question, Elena! My patience in running out here!" he went on, his voice painfully echoing through the room, making her shudder.

"I…I.." she murmured, her eyes tearing up. She could feel the ground underneath her feet vanishing, as her world started to fall apart. She hadn't want him to find out, certainly not like that. It was if her worst nightmare was coming true.

"Where you even planning on telling me?" he questioned, his anger doubling the second the words left his mouth. He shook his head grimly, looking at her in disgust. "Is the baby even mine?"

"What? Of course it's yours!" she yelled, shocked, throwing her hands up in the air. How could he even say that? She would never cheat on her boyfriend. Did he honestly think that little of her?

"Well, at the moment, I don't know what to believe anymore!" he shouted back before turning around and taking off, once again.

Elena was frozen to the spot, her eyes filled with disbelieve. Slowly, she sunk down to the floor and covered her eyes with her shaky hands. Tears were streaming down her cheeks freely. She had done what she had been trying to prevent most; she'd ruined his life for good, she'd ruined _him_.

* * *

><p>Minutes later, it could've been hours for all she knew, Caroline came walking into the living room. Her eyes grew wide when she saw her friend lying down on the floor with puffy, red eyes. "Shit, what happened?" she asked shocked, immediately running over to her friend and kneeling down in front of her.<p>

"Sweetie, can you please tell me what's wrong?" she questioned again, her voice soft, filled with worry.

Elena just stayed in place, still frozen and shocked after what happened. When the tears finally stopped rolling down her cheeks, all the energy she had left her body and she felt exhausted. In her current state, she wasn't even able to pronounce a decent sentence. All she could do was take Caroline's hand in hers and squeeze it firmly, trying to hold on to something, anything… that would keep her from falling apart any further.

"Lena?" Caroline tried again, holding onto Elena's hand. The blonde didn't know what she was supposed to do anymore, she wasn't used to these kind of circumstances. Usually, she was the one that needed someone to calm her down or talk some sense into her. She was used to Elena being the strong woman, the one that kept on fighting without shedding a tear. Seeing her friend breaking down made Caroline's heart ache.

"Should I call Bonnie? Jenna maybe?" she questioned, hoping Elena would at least nod or something. She couldn't do this, she didn't know how to comfort someone. When she felt down herself, she would go shopping and eat some ice cream while watching one of those silly romantic movies. However, she didn't think Elena would like either option.

"Just hold me," Elena whimpered, closing her eyes.

"Okay, I can do that," Caroline answered nodding, surprised that Elena answered her question. _Well, at least she's listening_, the blonde thought relieved.

"You know, I wasn't always like _this..._I mean a ranting Barbie that likes to go shopping," Caroline said suddenly, not really knowing what she was doing. For some reason, she just felt like she had to keep talking to her friend. Hopefully, talking would help to calm her down.

"When I was little, I used to be very quiet and buttoned-up," she let out a laugh, "I know, you probably can't imagine it but it's the truth. My mom and dad were very strict and they didn't want to let me make my own decisions. Somewhere throughout high school, I started to realize I didn't like to be the lonely girl and I auditioned for a spot in the cheerleading squad. My mom was furious; she thought it was the worst thing that could possibly happen to me, but I didn't listen to her. For once, I just did what I wanted and ever since that day, I don't let anyone lecture me anymore," Caroline explained, smiling when she thought back on her rebellious years.

"Honestly, you should've seen my mom's face when I told her I got selected," the blonde went on, laughing out loud, making Elena smile softly herself.

Caroline let out a relieved breath when she saw Elena's lips curling into a smile. _See, you can do this_! "Once I started cheerleading, my passion for fashion quickly developed and I became the typical queen bee of high school. My big dreams were coming true. Although, it wasn't until I went to college that I started to realize that being popular wasn't everything. I didn't have real friends, not like you. All of the conversations I had with my so called friends were empty because all we talked about were clothes and the latest gossips," she told Elena, closing her eyes for a second, reliving her past.

"When I met Stefan… everything finally made sense. I started to see what I truly wanted in the future, what was important to me. I quite college and I started off as an assistant for a wedding planner. However, it didn't take long before I found the courage to start to planning events on my own," Caroline explained, looking down at Elena who was finally started to react. After lying down, curled up in a ball, she finally started to stretch her legs and sit up slowly.

"Are you ready to tell me what happened?" the blonde asked, "You don't have to if you don't want me to know," she quickly added, afraid of Elena's reaction. She had no clue as to what had happened, but it seemed to be rather important.

"It's Damon," Elena answered softly, making Caroline's eyes go wide, "He… he found out," she whispered, taking a deep breath and trying to hold back the fresh tears that were threatening to break through.

"Oh god," Caroline exclaimed shocked, her eyes widening even more. "That's horrible. He must be devastated," she went on, shaking her head. "How did he react?"

"He was furious, but what did you expect? I never should have kept this a secret. I don't even know anymore why I didn't want to tell him in the first place. This was bound to happen," Elena sobbed, angry with herself. How could she have been so stupid? How could she even think for a second that she would be able to keep the baby a secret?

"Where is he now?" the blonde questioned, worried about both her friends. She knew Elena must be devastated, though for Damon, it was even worse. She didn't know if he'd be able to take something like that. He wasn't known to be good at handling his feelings. Usually, he ended up drunk in the nearest bar.

"I don't know, he… he just left," Elena answered softly, looking down at her feet embarrassed. She must look like the biggest fool in the world.

Without saying another word, Caroline pulled her phone out of her handbag and dialed a number. "Alaric?... Hi, it's Caroline. I was wondering if you knew where Damon is?... No?... Well, you should find him. He's not very stable at the moment… Elena happened. Did Jenna tell you about the baby? … Oops, sorry. Yeah, well Elena's pregnant and kept it a secret but Damon found out… Yeah, my thoughts exactly… Okay. Call me back when you find him, will you? Elena's still in shock and we're concerned that Damon will do something stupid… Thanks, bye Ric," she said, ending the call.

"Alaric is going to try to find Damon and make sure he's okay. He'll call when he find him," Caroline told her friend, pulling Elena into a hug. "It'll be okay, it's all going to be okay."

* * *

><p><strong>Day 79<strong>

Almost two weeks had gone by and Elena still hadn't heard from Damon. After that awful morning, she'd packed her bags and temporarily moved to Jenna's house. She couldn't bear to stay in the boarding house knowing how mad Damon must be. So when Jenna suggested that she stay at her place for a while, she'd immediately agreed. It seemed like the best solution at the time.

Right now, however, she was doubting her decision. She missed Damon an awful lot, but he wouldn't talk to her. She done all kind of things; called him, texted him, sent an email. She even went to the boarding house to visit him though he wouldn't open the door. He dodged her calls and never answered her texts, it was mortifying.

She understood that he was mad, he had every right to be, but she had to talk to him. She had to explain why she kept their unborn child a secret and they needed to talk about their future. About what would happen from now on. He deserved an explanation.

She'd always known that he wouldn't take the news well, though it turned out to be even worse than she could ever imagine. Of course, it was worse because she kept their baby a secret, though that wasn't the only reason. Part of him was terrified to become a father, to make a commitment like that. He never told her, though she just knew it was the truth.

He was afraid to become a daddy, to have someone relying on him like that. He didn't know how to be in a relationship, let alone take care of someone other than himself.

After their horrible fight, he'd gone to one of the nearest bars he could find and drunk himself into yet another stupor. Alaric had been there just in time because Damon was on the verge of reaching alcohol poisoning. He'd been sick for days after that, though he wouldn't talk to anyone. Ric had tried to help him out, but Damon would lock himself away in his room and stay there for hours. The only few times he came out of the room where to search for a bottle of bourbon. Alaric had thrown away most of them, though Damon always kept a secret stash somewhere where no one would find the liquor.

Elena was worried sick, terrified even, that something would happen to him. Damon was slowly killing himself thanks to his drinking. He probably hadn't eaten properly in ages and it haunted her that she was the one to blame for making him go mad.

Suddenly, she felt her inner muscles contract and a sting of pain going through her stomach. She immediately lunged for her belly, her face turning pale. Oh god, there was something wrong with the baby she thought, scared to death. Quickly, she called for Jenna who was a few rooms away.

"Yes honey, what's wrong?" the woman questioned, walking into the living room. Her eyes widened when she saw Elena's pale face, her shaky hands covering her small, pregnant tummy. "Elena, tell me what's wrong?" she repeated, running towards her.

"I think I had a cramp," Elena whispered, softly starting to sob. "It hurt, Jenna. My stomach hurt. There must be something wrong with the baby!" she shouted alarmed, her entire body starting to shake uncontrollably.

"Shh, you've got to calm down, sweetie. It's not good for the baby if you freak out like this. I'll call Meredith and we'll make sure the baby will be okay," Jenna answered, trying to reassure her friend, though she wasn't so sure herself that everything would be alright. She knew Elena had been stressing out the past few days and it was far from healthy for the baby to be so worked up. She had to learn how to calm down and rest.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, the women were impatiently waiting for Dr. Fell to tell them what the hell was happening. During the examination, the doctor hadn't said a word. It made Elena even more terrified. It couldn't be good that Meredith didn't tell them what she was seeing on the tiny screen.<p>

"I'm afraid I don't have good news," Meredith Fell said softly, turning to face her patient.

"What's wrong?" Jenna immediately questioned, while Elena sat as still as a statue. Her eyes were already becoming watery and her mind was going crazy on all the possibilities of what might be wrong with the baby.

"Due to stress, the baby isn't growing normally. It's a lot smaller than the average baby at this stage of the pregnancy which usually leads to prematurity. In Elena's case, that would mean death since the baby is far too little to be born already. However, the good sign is that you only had a few cramps and it doesn't look like the amnion is already broken. I can't promise that nothing will go wrong, but if you rest enough and try to keep calm, it could be possible that the baby will be alright. The chances are 50/50," the doctor explained, sadly.

"At the moment, there isn't much that I can do. You can still try to save your child, Elena. I can't promise you that if you rest and stay healthy that you won't lose your baby, but it's better than just accepting the fact that you're having a high risk pregnancy. You should eat healthy foods and take a prenatal vitamin to ensure that you're getting all essential nutrients. Also, you have to avoid alcohol, cigarettes and any supplements or medications that have not been approved by me. You should see your dentist for a checkup and clean. Brush and floss regularly; poor oral health has been linked to premature labor as well. But more importantly, you have to do everything in your power to avoid excessive stress. It only causes harm to your baby," Meredith explained, looking Elena in the eye.

Elena simply nodded, not knowing what else to do. She was shocked, utterly shocked by what she just heard. She was the one responsible for bringing harm to her baby because of the amount of stress she had been having. SHE could be the reason why her baby would never have a chance at life.

"Lena, honey?" Jenna said softly when the doctor left the room. "This is not your fault! Do you hear me? You're not the one to blame!" she repeated, knowing Elena was beating herself up. This would only make the situation worse. There was no way her friend would have less stress if she kept blaming herself for everything that happened.

Elena gave the woman a small, sad smile, surprised that Jenna knew exactly what she had been thinking. Instead of starting a fight, she just nodded at her friend while letting out a deep breath and trying to make those dark thoughts disappear. She had to make sure she didn't let the stress take over control of her body; she had to make sure that she would save her baby.

After coming home from the doctor's appointment, Jenna had made Elena a cup of tea and the women were sitting in the living room together. They were still trying to process what was going on. Elena couldn't believe that she could've lost her baby today.

"I never thought something like this would happen to me. I mean, when you hear that someone has a miscarriage, you think it's sad. What you don't believe is that the same thing could happen to you," Elena said brokenhearted. "Today, I finally realized that it can indeed happen to me and I'm terrified of losing the baby. It might not be a planned pregnancy, but that doesn't mean that I don't want my unborn child."

"Of course," Jenna answered nodding, "It's understandable that you're afraid, sweetie. But you have to stay positive and believe that the baby will be alright. If you don't, it'll only bring down the chances of the baby becoming healthy."

"I know that, I do. I just… I don't know what I can do to avoid stress," she whimpered softly, looking down at her hands.

"Honey, I know you're in a stressful situation at the moment and it's almost impossible for you to stay calm, but the only thing you can do is try to rest. Don't worry too much about Damon, he'll be fine. You have to concentrate on the health of your unborn child, not on your damaged relationship," Jenna suggested. She knew it was an impossible task to ask from a young woman like Elena, but it was the only possibility left to assure a positive outcome. If Elena kept worrying about everything that was going on, she would never be able to ensure the health of the baby.

* * *

><p><strong>Drama, angst, hurt... Are you crying with me? Damn, this was an awful chapter to write and I often couldn't see much thanks to the tears that kept rolling down my face. <strong>

**Please let me know your thoughts and review! There's nothing that makes me happier than reading your reviews, certainly on my birthday, which is tomorrow ;) **

**(Ps. Yes, that was emotional blackmail, lol.)**

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**Xoxo**


	19. Keep on Fighting

**AN: Thank you to my amazing beta Jamie and pre-reader Mirna! **

**Because of all the amazing reviews I got for the 16th chapter, here's an extra long one! **

**Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine. **

* * *

><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**Chapter 18**

**Keep on Fighting**

**Day 80**

The days go by awfully slowly; all of a sudden, it seems as if time stands still. He doesn't really remember what day it is anymore. Sunday? Tuesday, maybe? He has no idea. He doesn't give a flying fuck about anything anymore. Not since the day he left Elena standing all on her own in the living room, right in front of the fireplace; the same place where he left her the night of their huge fight.

He could still vividly remember the look in her eyes. There were so many emotions there; love, regret, angst, but more importantly pain. She had been begging him not to leave her, her eyes wide and teary. Still, he managed to turn around and run as fast as he could.

He had been so disappointed in her; he still was. Mostly, he had been mad… furious even. How could she keep something so important from him? How could she possibly think to keep their baby a secret? He had been devastated by the news of her pregnancy. He wasn't ready to become a father. He didn't even know if he wanted to be a father in the first place. Although, that wasn't what pained him. What hurt most was the fact that his girlfriend had been planning on never telling him.

What did that mean? How was it possible that after everything that happened, she didn't trust him enough to tell him about the pregnancy? He had tried so hard to be who she wanted him to be. He worked his ass off while trying to be a good boyfriend, doing everything in his power to convince her of his love. Yet, she still didn't have faith in him. She couldn't be honest with him and it hurt so fucking much. His world was royally fucked up and he had no idea what to do anymore. He couldn't do anything, he didn't have the energy. He was lost.

"Damon!" he could hear his best friend Alaric shouting from the other side of his bedroom door. "Damon, I have to talk to you. It's important!" the poor man tried, knocking on the door furiously. Damon was in one of his most stubborn moods and he didn't even bother to answer. Instead, he just reached out to take the half full bottle of scotch in his hand and took another swig of it, the burning liquor pouring down his throat.

"Damon, open the fucking door before I break it!" Alaric threatened, his voice lowering a few octaves. He was running out of patience.

"I'd love to see you try," Damon retorted, rolling his eyes in annoyance. Why was it so hard to leave him alone? He didn't need someone worrying about him, they could all go to hell for all he cared. "Although I have to warn you, the oak the door is made of can be pretty staunch." He let out a grim laugh and shook his head before taking yet another gulp of the bottle. He would have to go out soon and buy some new bottles since his stock was almost entirely gone. It had been a while since he last drunk this much, though it felt good. The alcohol made everything seem just a little easier. Forget about the headache. It was the only thing left that would get him through the day.

"God damn it, Damon! Can please get your lazy ass up for just a second and let me in! I'm not willing to talk to you when there's a door standing between us."

"Then quit nagging and leave. I'm sure you still remember your way out," he retorted tiredly. He was done talking for the day. He didn't want to hear whatever Ric had to say. He just wanted to sleep, to forget.

"It's about the baby, you idiot!" Alaric shouted, finally getting Damon's attention. Within five seconds he was up, opening the door and watching his friend intensely, needing him to continue. What the hell was going on?

He might not be ecstatic about the fact that he was becoming a daddy but that didn't mean that he didn't care. He cared, alright, a lot. He couldn't bear the thought of something happening to his unborn child, to _his_ Elena.

"Well?" he asked, impatiently waiting for his friend to go on and explain to him why he came to the boarding house in the first place. The tension in the room was thick and heavy, leaving no air to breath. The silence was deafening, making Damon's heart beat even more frantically. Something was wrong, it had to be. His friend was looking too pale, too sad and brokenhearted for everything to be okay.

"Elena… She had to go to Dr. Fell today because she was having some serious cramps. Turns out, she's close to having a miscarriage due to the high level of stress she has been having. Meredith is not sure that the baby will survive though, for now, everything seems to be stabilized," Alaric explained, looking at his friend in worry.

Damon had become slightly pale, his hands were a little shaky and his breaths came out shallow. "What?" he whispered, not quite believing what he'd just heard. It seemed as if his world had been torn apart in only a few seconds.

"They're both fine now. Elena's resting while Jenna tries to keep her calm. There's still a good possibility that the baby will be healthy, though it's a risky situation," Alaric said, giving his friend a pat on the shoulder. He knew that Damon would need the support right now. His friend looked like he could have another breakdown at any moment.

"I have to see her," Damon suddenly said, running towards his dresser to get some clean clothes. He'd been wearing the same outfit for almost a week now and it was time to finally man up and take control of his life again. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to the baby due to the fights he had been having with Elena.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Damon. She needs to stay calm, you can't possibly take any risks," his friend advised, shaking his head in disagreement. He didn't know how stable Elena was at the moment, would she be able to take yet another conversation that would probably turn into a fight? He didn't think so.

"I'm not going there to cause any more harm than I've already done, Ric. I just need to see if she's alright for myself, otherwise I won't be able to sleep for even a minute," Damon answered absently, thinking about nothing but the woman of his dreams and their unborn child. How the hell did he stay away from her for such a long time? He had to see her and, preferably, as soon as possible.

"I still think it's a bad idea, Damon. Besides, you're drunk. You shouldn't drive a car in the state you're in. It's absurd," Alaric interfered, letting out a deep breath.

"Well then drive me," he retorted, putting on his shoes before running downstairs, almost stumbling on his way down. The amount of alcohol in his system was making it damn hard to stay focused. He already started to regret his bold and reckless behavior of the past days. Why couldn't anything go right? Why was it always him who had to deal with the shit?

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, Damon was standing on the front porch of Ric and Jenna's house. He had to promise his friend he'd wait outside until Alaric would've been able to inform Elena that he wanted to see her. It was ridiculous, even if she decided that she didn't want to come out and talk to him, Damon would still enter the house...invited or otherwise.<p>

He was pleasantly surprised when Jenna came outside to tell him he could come in. After his conversation with Ric at the boarding house, he'd taken a quick shower and gotten dressed, already starting to sober up thanks to the tough news he had received. By the time they arrived at the house, he already started to feel a headache coming up. Well, to be honest, he deserved to feel bad. His behavior of the past days was nothing to be proud of. He was an adult for Christ sake, he shouldn't be drinking so much. How on earth could he ever be an example to his child if he kept screwing up like that.

Taking a deep relaxing breath, he walked inside and hope that he hadn't made a mistake by coming to visit Elena and talk to her. When he walked into the living room and he saw her lying down on the couch with all the color drained of her face and her eyes puffy, he stiffened. Nothing could've possibly prepared him to see his girlfriend looking so utterly broken. He wanted nothing more but take her into his arms and make everything better.

However, he was still too mad at her to even consider forgiving her for what she'd done to him. She might have had her own reasons, though nothing could possibly make him feel better about the fact that she didn't trust him enough to tell the truth. He couldn't stop thinking about what would've happened if he hadn't found the pregnancy test that day. Would she have left him? Would she have left town without ever telling him he was a father? Would she honestly keep such important thing a secret from him?

He couldn't even think about it anymore, it disgusted him. It only rebuilt his anger and he couldn't afford to lash out on her. Not now, not when their baby was at risk. He would have to keep his temper in control and stay calm. The 'what if's didn't matter at the moment. The only thing that mattered was the health of their unborn child, the little miracle they created together. He might not know how to be a father, he might be scared to death to become one, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't be devastated if something would happen to that little innocent creature.

"Hi," he said awkwardly, not really knowing what to say. He'd been so eager to see her that he couldn't really remember what he wanted to say to her in the first place. The only thing he knew was that he had to see her, no matter what. He had to see for himself that both she and the baby would be okay.

"Hi," she answered shyly, looking down at the floor. She had been surprised when Alaric came walking in, telling her Damon wanted to see her. She hadn't known what to do, though she knew she wanted to see him. He looked worried but what really got her attention was how pale he looked. It was as if he hadn't slept in weeks, nor did he eat much. She noticed he lost a few pounds since the last time she saw him. However, even when he looked like hell, he was still the most beautiful creature she ever laid eyes on.

"I'm going to leave the two of you alone now. If you need anything, just call me, Elena, and I'll be downstairs before you can even blink," Jenna interrupted before leaving the room.

They kept looking at each other in silence for a few minutes, neither of them really knowing what to say. After a while, Damon finally sat down beside her, giving her a sad smile. "How are you feeling?" he questioned softly, quickly swallowing before he'd add something stupid. He had to keep reminding himself not to start bullying her. She couldn't handle any more stress, he knew that. However, it was hard to stay calm after what had happened between them. He had to keep his anger in control.

"Better. Although I'm still afraid to get another cramp again," she whispered, afraid that if she would raise her voice, they would start to yell at each other again. She wanted them to stay civil around each other so badly, though she didn't know what the hell she was supposed to do.

He nodded, completely understanding her fear. He'd go crazy himself if something would happen to the baby and at the moment, things didn't exactly look well for them.

"I'm sorry," she said suddenly, regret clearly showing across her face. "I should've never kept the baby a secret from you," she explained, her voice slightly breaking in the end. "I know it was wrong… so wrong even…but…"

"We don't have to get into this now, Elena. I'm still far from calmed down and ready to forgive you. So please, let's have this conversation at another time. I don't want to yell at you and I don't want to make you even more stressed out than you already are. I'm not ready to talk about this" he said, taking her hand in his and softly squeezing it. "I just had to know you were okay, both of you," he added looking her deeply in the eye, wordlessly reassuring her that things would get better again. He just needed time. Time for the wounds to heal, time to think about their relationship and if it would ever be possible to fix things.

He loved her. Hell, he never loved anyone before like he loved her, though he didn't know if it was enough. He didn't know if loving her would be enough to save their relationship. No matter what he felt for her, a relationship was all about trust and it was rather clear that she didn't trust him at all. If she would have believed in him, even for just a little bit, she would've told him the truth. She should have.

"Okay," she answered quickly while looking down at the floor again, trying to hide her obvious disappointment. She knew she had hurt him deeply, though she'd always hoped they would be able to fix things between them. She wouldn't know what to do without him.

"Hey," he said trying to get her attention. "Hey, look at me," he repeated once again. When she finally looked up and met his eyes, he gave her a small smile, his fingers softly brushing her cheek. "Don't worry, Elena. We will be okay… eventually," he told her, taking a deep breath. He wasn't too sure himself though by saying the words out loud, he started to believe them himself. He had to keep hoping that everything would be okay because there was no other solution. If he gave up hope, they would be done and there would be no going back, not ever.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 83<strong>

Jenna was picking up Bonnie at the airport today. After hearing what happened to Elena, she'd immediately cancelled all her appointments for the following weeks and booked a ticket to Mystic Falls. She never thought something like that would happen to her friend and she felt responsible to help her out. As a doctor, she felt the need to try and save Elena's baby. She knew her friend like no one else. If someone were able to keep Elena Gilbert calm and far away from stress, it would be her.

Elena was now impatiently waiting for the two women to arrive. She hadn't slept much at night though she was still trying to keep her stress level as low as possible. She hadn't seen Damon after their previous talk, though she was glad they weren't fighting anymore. Maybe, _maybe_ there was still hope. M_aybe _someday, he'd be ready to forgive her and move on.

She hoped so because she wouldn't know what to do without him. She still couldn't believe how stupid she had been. It was simply ridiculous. No, she first had to make the biggest mistake of her life before realizing she was being an idiot. She should've trusted Damon; she should've trusted his opinion instead of thinking the worst. He might not be ready for a baby yet, though it should be his decision whether he wanted to be in their child's life or not.

However, she would understand if he didn't want anything to do with her anymore. She screwed up, big time. She had been planning on leaving him without ever letting him know he'd become a father, what person would do something like that? She had been scared to death when she found out about the baby, though at the moment, she was finally starting to realize how wrong she had been. She never wanted to make Damon unhappy and that's why she kept their baby a secret. In the end, she did the opposite of what she was trying to do, she hurt him even worse. She'd doubted their relationship and now she had to live with the consequences.

"Elena? Are you okay? You look like your trying to solve the biggest mystery of time," Alaric teased, when he looked at the frowning girl in front of him.

"Oh, hi Ric. I didn't know you were home already," she answered smiling, after recovering from the small shock she got when Alaric had suddenly interrupted her thoughts. She hadn't heard him coming home and was surprised he was already inside. She must have been quite far gone.

"Where are Jenna and Bonnie? I though they would've been home for a while now," the man said confused.

"They'll be here any second. Bonnie's plane was delayed for about two hours," Elena explained, slowly sitting up. She had been lying on that stupid couch for a week now, though Jenna wouldn't let her get up and walk around. She was scared that Elena would force herself to do things she wasn't supposed to do and would put the baby in danger. How foolish, Elena thought sadly. Of course, she wouldn't try and harm her little miracle.

"Two hours? That's an awfully long time. Well, I'm glad I had to work today so Jenna couldn't ask me to come with her," Alaric smirked, before sitting down on the couch across from Elena.

"You're home early today," Elena said surprised, smiling when she saw Ric rolling his eyes.

"It's Wednesday, Elena, I'm always home early on Wednesdays."

"It is? Oh… I must be losing track of time thanks to lying down on this couch all day. I wish Jenna would just let me take care of myself sometimes. I need some fresh air," she told Alaric, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"Well, you know, Jenna," he answered, looking at her apologetically. "She's afraid something might happen to the baby if you start walking around again. She doesn't really trust your opinion on the matter. She thinks you're going to take unnecessary risks and feel bad while you keep telling everyone you're okay," Alaric explained, knowing his wife was right at some point. Elena wouldn't tell anyone if she wasn't feeling well because she didn't want to burden anyone.

"I'm not going to harm the baby, I know how important it is to stay calm and healthy," she defended, shaking her head in annoyance. Why didn't anyone believe her?

"Elena, I'm not saying that I don't believe you. It's just… you tend to make irresponsible and unreasonable decisions. You're still young, I get it, you still have a lot to learn, though that doesn't mean you should take any risks," Alaric suggested, hoping she would take his advice.

"Believe me, I'm not planning on taking risks. I'm not the only one I have to take care of anymore," she reasoned.

Alaric nodded, praying to god he could believe what she was saying. He'd kill himself if something happened to that baby. It would kill his friend and he couldn't let that happen. He wasn't going to watch Damon falling apart.

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later, Jenna and Bonnie finally arrived home. Apparently, traffic had been crowded and they had to wait in a traffic jam for about an hour. "Bonnie!" Elena breathed relieved when her friend pulled her into a hug. She hadn't known how much she missed Bonnie until she saw her best friend walking in.<p>

Her arms were firmly wrapped around the woman's frame and within seconds she started sob heavily. While part of her was just happy to see her friend again, the tears were more out of desperation, she thought sadly. She had no idea what to do anymore. She just wanted to keep her baby save.

"Hey, don't worry," Bonnie reassured her, "You and the baby will be okay," she added, though she knew Elena wouldn't believe her. "You just have to keep faith that everything will work out!" the woman advised.

"But the chances are 50/50, Bonnie. There's a 50 percent chance that something will go wrong!" Elena retorted, the tears streaming down her face. She'd tried to stay strong the past days, but suddenly everything got too much and she couldn't take it anymore.

"True, but there's also a 50 percent chance that the baby will be as healthy as a horse and you've been worrying about nothing," her friend threw back, trying to reason with Elena.

"About nothing? How can you say that, Bonnie Bennett! My baby is not nothing!" Elena yelled out in frustration.

"That's not what I meant and you know it, Elena. Don't be ridiculous, it doesn't look good on you," she said harshly, knowing her friend needed someone to stand up to her and discus her behavior from the past weeks. Apparently, no one had been blunt enough to make Elena see what an idiot she was.

"Bonnie," Elena said in annoyance, "Don't be mean."

"I'm not being mean, Elena. For once, someone is telling you what a fool you have been! How could you be so stupid? It's not the Elena I came to love, it's not my best friend," the woman said sadly, looking Elena in the eye.

"I know, okay? I know I've made some pretty bad decisions, but you don't have to make me feel even worse," she whimpered, all her tears suddenly gone and replaced by anger.

"I'm not trying to, honey, I'm trying to make you see what you have been doing to yourself - what you have been doing to everyone around you. You have to man up and take control again, sweetie. Stop wallowing in self-pity and think about the future of your little angel!"

"I've not…"

"Not what, Elena? You haven't been worrying and thinking about what you have done, what you should do and more importantly how bad you would feel if Damon would leave you?"

"Of course I have been thinking about that, how could I not?" Elena questioned, shaking her head in disbelief. This hadn't be how she expected her reunion with Bonnie to be. She hadn't thought her friend would be so judgy.

"You can't worry about the 'what if's. You have to think about the baby and stay relaxed. Why don't you start writing again to take you mind of things? You used to write all the time when you were feeling bad," Bonnie suggested, only trying to do the right thing.

"I can't seem to find inspiration. I haven't written a word since I found out about the pregnancy, I even let the paper down because of this madness," Elena answered disappointedly. She had been so happy when she got the opportunity to start working at the Mystic Falls Gazette. She loved her job, had wonderful colleagues… everything had been perfect, until she became pregnant. She'd lost all her energy and wasn't able to write any more articles.

Together with Carol Lockwood, the editor of the Gazette and wife of the major, she decided that she would take a few weeks off until she found her muse again.

"Bullshit, you were always able to write the most beautiful stories. I still remember our conversations in high school when we were discussing what a brilliant novel writer you would become. I know you, Elena, you're strong and powerful. You always survive and find new energy to go on. If you just relax for a few minutes, close your eyes and clear your mind, I'm sure you'll find a solution, you always do," Bonnie explained, smiling reassuringly.

"I wish you were right, Bon, but I'm afraid I finally lost it. I never felt this bad, not even when my mom passed away and that says a lot because I was devastated," Elena smiled sadly, staring around in the room, not really focusing on anything anymore. She was lost, completely and utterly lost.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 87<strong>

Today, she would finally be seeing Damon again. They had arranged a meeting at the Grill so they could finally talk about their issues and the future. They needed to clear the air for their sake and the baby's. She didn't want to stay so distant towards the father of her baby. She wanted their child to have a nice childhood and grow up in a loving family.

That didn't mean she would push Damon and expect from him that they would work things out. No, she just wanted to make sure their baby would be loved and surrounded by amazing people - regardless if its parents lived separated or together.

After everything that happened, all the mistakes she made, she couldn't require that he would just forget about the pain she put him through and trust her. She knew he would need time to think about their future and learn how to forgive her. It wouldn't be easy, though she hoped that eventually they'd have a future together. She would never forgive herself if she ruined their happily-ever-after ending because she knew that they would have had one. She knew how well they fit together...what a perfect couple they would make. Too bad the realization had come so late. She just hoped it wasn't too late.

When she walked into the Grill, she immediately spotted him sitting next to the window, staring outside. He seemed to be in deep thought and she didn't want to disturb him. Instead of walking over to the table, she just watched him for a minute. He looked extremely handsome today, as always. His raven black hair was slightly tousled, giving him that wild look she adored so much. Although no matter how great he looked, she couldn't help but notice those dark circles underneath his eyes. She wasn't the only one that didn't sleep much at night.

Just when she was about to start moving towards the table at the window, he looked up, his eyes meeting hers. The little chills that went through her body surprised her as always. Every time he'd look at her, tiny butterflies would start flying around in her belly, making her heart speed up frantically.

"Hi," she said softly, her voice giving her away immediately. She sounded far too husky. When his eyes widened and grew dark, she knew she had to quickly compose herself before they'd do something stupid… like having monkey sex in the nearest bathroom. She could blame the pregnancy hormones, though she knew very well that there was so much more going on than that. It had been a while since the last time they were together intimately and she missed him; she missed how great they could be together.

"Hello, Elena," he smirked, her name rolling of his tongue so beautifully that her heart skipped another beat. He was playing her and she knew it. He loved getting her riled up, showing just how much he affected her with his smart ass remarks and sexy smiles.

"You wanted to talk to me," she answered, getting straight to the point while sitting down at the other side of the table. She would've loved to have a light hearted conversation with him, though she couldn't ignore the obvious. They had to talk. They both needed to know where they stood and what would happen next in their relationship. She wanted to decrease her stress level and the only way that would work was if they had a serious conversation. She couldn't be worrying about Damon's feelings anymore. She just had to tell him why she wanted to keep the baby a secret. After that, it was up to him whether he wanted to be in a relationship with her or not.

"I did," he agreed, stating the obvious before taking a gulp of his drink, not once breaking eye contact with her.

The tension was tick in the air and she already started to regret her decision of ending their usual banter. "I was wondering how long you're planning on staying at Ric and Jenna's," he said, taking her by surprise. She had been so sure he would want to know what her reasons were for not telling the truth. Honestly, she had been terrified to have this conversation with him and now he wanted to know how long she'd be staying at Jenna's house?

"I don't know. It was supposed to be temporarily, but after everything that happened I'm not so sure if coming home would be a good idea," she told him, avoiding eye contact by looking down.

"It's your house, Elena. I'm the one that should look for a place to stay," he argued, letting out a deep breath.

"No, you should not. I'm the one who fucked up which makes me the one that will have to live with the consequences and stay over at another place. You've always lived there, Damon. You should stay. I won't throw you out of the house, we talked about this before. Besides, I'm perfectly fine staying at Jenna's. I know I'll have to move eventually but, for the time being, I'd like to stay there."

"You should come home. The doctor wants you to rest and what better place can you find? Me, Caroline and Stefan are always around if you need something," he told her, ignoring the obvious problem. How was she supposed to live with him when they couldn't even discuss the big elephant in the room? She understood that he wasn't ready to talk about their issues, but beating about the bush wouldn't help either. They had to have an honest conversation first before she would be able to move back in.

"You know that's not the real problem, Damon. I have to rest and stay calm for the baby's sake and I don't think that moving back into the boarding house is going to help that. Things between us aren't exactly going well at the moment and I don't want any unnecessary stress. You need time to think and I need time to rest. After that, I will come home," she told him, hoping he'd understand. She didn't want to hurt him, but she also didn't want to harm their little miracle.

He simply nodded, not wanting to start yet another discussion between them. They could argue once the baby was born and perfectly healthy. "I'll ask Caroline to visit you. I'm sure you'd like some company other than Jenna and Bonnie. I think it's better if we avoid seeing each other for the next couple weeks - maybe it'll ease your stress. Although if you need anything or you're feeling bad, please call me. I'd hate to see something happening to you and the baby," he explained, his lips frozen into a tight line. He wanted to reassure her that everything would be okay, hug her and kiss her worries away, but he couldn't. It wouldn't be fair to toy with her feelings, even after what she did to him.

He still wasn't sure what he wanted, what was supposed to happen in the future. He knew he didn't want to lose them. They were the most important things in his life at the moment. And no matter how much he wanted to fix things between them, he didn't know how or if it was even possible. But knowing that they were both okay certainly helped to keep him calm so he could think about the future.

"I will probably never understand why you didn't tell me about the baby, Elena, but you should know that I care about the both of you and that I'm happy that we're having a baby together. Opposed to what you think, I do actually want to become a father," he told her softly, before standing up and leaving the Grill. He still had a lot to think about, but one thing he was sure of. He was going to do his utmost best to be the most amazing dad possible.

* * *

><p><strong>One of my favorite chapters to write. How did you like Damon's POV? I hope you all understand the both of them a little better now. <strong>

**The serious angst is over for now, we're finally making progress again, small baby steps that is, but at least I'm not making it worse, right? ;) **

**I hope you all enjoyed reading the chapter! Please leave me one of those amazing reviews and make me VERY happy!**

**Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94**

**Xoxo **


	20. Life Keeps Going

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine.**

**Thank you, Jamie and Mirna, for helping me out with this chapter! **

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**Chapter 19**

**Life Keeps Going**

**Day 95**

It had been a week since he last saw Elena but he couldn't seem to get her out of his head for even a second. She was always there, haunting him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop thinking about her and their baby. He missed her, it was plain and simple. He was used to having her around and now they'd lived apart for almost a month. He never thought it would be possible to miss someone that much. Especially, if that person had ripped your heart out.

No, he still hadn't forgiven her. He didn't even know if he ever would completely. However, he was trying. He could talk to her without starting a fight which was a beginning, at least. Mostly, their lack of arguments had to do with the fact that he was tiptoeing around her to make sure she wouldn't get stressed. He just didn't know how to have an honest conversation with her without making her angry or sad. Tension was not good for the baby; he'd do everything to keep their child safe.

"Stefan said you wanted to talk to me, what's up?" Caroline questioned when she walked into the living room, a broad smile across her lips. She'd been overjoyed since she and Stefan had gotten engaged, Damon noticed. They were together almost all the time and gave each other secret smiles and whispering during dinner… it was annoying as hell. He'd told them more than once that they should get a room if they wanted to act all lovey-dovey. He was in no mood to watch a happy couple when his love life was practically falling apart.

"That's right. I wanted to know if you were busy the next few days," he said, pointing at the couch in front of him where she was to sit down.

"Except for planning my perfect wedding? No, I don't have something else on my plate," she told him, rolling her eyes at his bossy behavior while sitting down.

"Good. You're going to help me decorate the Grill; give it a new and trendy look before the reopening. I want everything to look perfect," he commanded, smirking. He needed something to keep him occupied so he wouldn't start worrying about Elena and the baby. What better solution than working hard to make his dream come true?

"Since when do you get to order me around instead of asking if I'd want to help you out?" Caroline questioned, looking at him warily. "Try again," she said firmly, a determined look across her face.

Damon's face fell at her reaction, though only for a split second. "My dear and sweet Caroline, would you like to help me out with decorating the Grill? I'd love you forever," he teased wickedly, showing his best smirk.

"God, you can be so annoying!" Caroline stressed, throwing her hands up in the air. "I honestly don't get how you and Stefan can be related! You must be adopted."

"I'm afraid not," Damon pouted, his eyes full of mischief. However, as quickly as their silly banter started, it ended and Damon looked entirely serious again. "Although back to the point, are you going to help me out or what?" he asked impatiently.

"Well, I guess you asked nicely... even if it was fake as hell. So yes, I'll help you out," she answered smiling. "I don't want the Grill to end up looking like a ruin."

"I have an impeccable taste, Ms. Forbes. I think you've mistaken me for my brother," Damon retorted, secretly relieved that she accepted his proposition.

"Bring it on, Salvatore," Caroline grinned, standing up and walking towards the closet to take her notebook. This was going to be so much fun.

* * *

><p>Elena was sitting in her room, well actually it was Jenna's spare room. As much time as she had been spending in it, it may as well be her own room. She was currently reading one of Jenna's pregnancy books; it was called 'what to expect when you're expecting'. She found some interesting tips in it though most things she already knew.<p>

She was bored out of her mind and everyone kept checking on her to be sure she was still resting. They seemed to think she'd start doing stuff she shouldn't do… ok, she probably would, but it was still annoying as hell. She couldn't even go grocery shopping because Jenna always stopped her and told her she would get anything that she needed.

She was used to being an independent woman. At the moment, she felt more and more like a helpless damsel in distress. Everyone kept treating her like she was made of porcelain and she hated every part of it. She wanted nothing more than be left alone, but no one seemed to grant her wishes anymore.

Lying in bed all day or sitting on the couch certainly didn't help her mood. She was slowly becoming one of those irritating self-pitying, brooding person. She was becoming the kind of person she disliked the most. And no matter how hard she tried to stay positive and look at the bright side, her moods swings kept ruining the progress she made.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and Elena looked up in surprise, waiting for the person to come inside. "Elena, can I come in?" Bonnie questioned.

"Sure, it's open," she called, placing a bookmark between page 56 and 57 before closing the book and putting it down on the bedside table. When she looked up, she saw her friend entering the room with a worried look across her face when she saw Elena sitting on the bed.

Because of all the hours she had spent in bed, Elena didn't look very healthy. She needed some sunlight and fresh air. Although both Bonnie and Jenna had given her house arrest so she wouldn't go do anything stupid, they were extremely overprotective.

"Hi honey, how are you feeling today?" Bonnie asked softly when she came to other side of the bed, watching Elena intently.

"The same way I felt yesterday, and the day before and the day…" Elena mocked, rolling her eyes.

"Sweetie, I know this is hard on you. I know how much you hate not being able to go outside and do whatever you want but you're responsible for the little child in your stomach now. You have to listen to your body," Bonnie explained, trying to talk some sense into her friend.

"My body says that it has rested more than enough the past week and it needs some fresh air and lots of sun," Elena deadpanned.

Bonnie let out a frustrating breath, shaking her head in dismay. "Lena, honestly. You're killing me here. You know that I'm only trying to look out for you. I came to Mystic Falls to make sure you and the baby would be alright but everything I seem to do makes you angry," she said disappointedly, not knowing what to do anymore.

"I'm not angry, just frustrated," Elena admitted, looking down, her cheeks darkening in shame and embarrassment. "I never meant to push my feelings on Jenna or you. I just… I don't know what to do anymore, okay? I'm lost. I thought I was trying to do the right thing when I kept the pregnancy a secret from Damon and it wasn't until after he found out that I realized what a fool I had been. I was being a coward, utterly selfish. I should've known better. I…" she cried, tears threatening to roll down her cheeks.

"I feel lost without him. We're amazing together, Bonnie. I never felt more happy than when he finally admitted he loved me. Now, I have ruined everything. I want nothing more than to be with Damon and start a family. I hadn't realized how much I wanted this baby till it was already too late," Elena added sadly, taking a deep breath trying to calm herself down.

"It's never too late, Lena. If you truly love him as much as you seem to think, then you should go after him and fight for what you want. That's the Elena I know, the strong woman that never gives up on her dreams. I know you're having a weak moment and that not everything is going as planned, but deep down you're still the same person. I know you are," Bonnie told her, squeezing her hand in reassurance. "Fight for him, make him want to be with you."

"I wish it was that simple," Elena complained, looking up at her friend for the first time during their conversation.

"It is. You just have to see it. All those negative, dark clouds before your eyes are blinding you. Make them disappear and look at the light, look at the bright side of life," Bonnie explained, a small smile appearing across her features.

"You're one to speak. How long did it take you before you wanted to go on a date with Luca? I practically had to drop you there myself. Once you two started hanging out, everything seemed to go rather quickly!" Elena retorted, rolling her eyes.

"I just had some bad experience with boys," Bonnie defended, her eyes wide. She wasn't expecting to see Elena's fire again. It had been a while, though she enjoyed seeing her real friend again. The past few days the only thing Elena did was nod or shake her head. She hadn't started a discussion in ages.

"Right, but that doesn't justify the fact that you didn't date for 6 months and kept telling me that I shouldn't get involved with men, I quote 'they only want sex and would harm innocent young women like myself," Elena explained, looking at her friend in amusement when she saw Bonnie's eyes widening, little wrinkles appearing across her head.

"I did not say such thing!" she exclaimed, her cheeks bright red.

"But you did, Bonnie. Don't you remember?" Elena taunted, visibly in a much better mood.

"I think you're hanging out with the wrong crowd. The Elena I knew would never say such a thing," the young woman rambled, shaking her head in disbelief.

"That's such a Bonnie Bennett thing to say," Elena mused, laughing when she saw her friend's eyes spitting fire. If looks could kill, she would have probably have died a thousand deaths

"It's good to hear you laugh again. It's been a while since I heard that beautiful sound," Bonnie remarked relieved. She was staring to get worried but it looked like all that Elena needed was someone to talk some sense into her.

"Right. Why did you come here in the first place?" Elena asked, quickly changing the subject. There was no way she was going to talk about the way she had been behaving some more.

"I wanted to ask you a question," Bonnie answered seriously.

"Fire away," she smiled, reaching for the glass of water on the bedside table and taking a quick gulp. She noticed she was quite thirsty the past days.

"I was wondering if you would mind if I looked into your family medical history and did some research. I know that I'm not your doctor, but I do know some stuff about genetic diseases. Maybe I can find something that explains why you're having a difficult pregnancy. You can't exactly ask your mom if she knows about any medical problems of your family in the past. Besides, your mom never told you about John. Maybe that's not the only thing she kept a secret," Bonnie explained carefully.

"I'm sure she wouldn't keep something like that a secret, Bonnie. Besides, I don't even know if she knew John in the first place. He was my dad's brother, not my mother's."

"Does your mom has any relatives?" Bonnie questioned, taking a notebook out of her jacket to write names down.

"I'm not sure. She never told me much about them. I know that she disliked her mother which was why I never met my grandmother. She's the eldest child in my grandma's family, though I don't know if she was the only one," Elena told her friend, reliving a few of her past memories. She never really gave it much of a thought and her mother never really told her the truth about her family issues.

"I'll be sure to look into it. Who knows, maybe I can find some mystery person that's related to you!" Bonnie said happily, making a few notes before putting the notebook away again.

"I don't think I'm ready for more drama at the moment, Bons. Besides, I'll soon have a family of my own now. When this little miracle is born, it'll be all that matters to me," Elena smiled, pointing at her growing stomach. It was still pretty flat, though it wouldn't take much longer before she'd start to show. She couldn't wait because that would mean that her baby was healthy and growing.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 99<strong>

Today, Elena had another appointment with Dr. Fell. It had been almost three weeks since her last appointment and she was rather anxious to see if her baby was okay. Meredith had told her not to worry and to take enough rest. At this point, everything was still going well. The cramps and blood loss were all done.

She'd tried to ask Damon if he wanted to come with her, though he kept avoiding her calls. Instead she sent him a text message, though he still hadn't answered. She doubted that he even read the message. He probably just deleted it

She had been surprised to say the least after their last conversation; she hadn't expect him to be happy about having a baby together. She had been so convinced that he would hate the thought of becoming a father that she totally forgot about actually asking him how he truly felt about it.

After he found out, he had been so furious. She hadn't dared to ask him any questions. Apparently, he did like the fact that he would soon be a father and in some way, she felt relieved. She might have made a huge mistake, but at least the baby would have a father that loved him or her equally as much as its mother would.

"Ms. Gilbert?" the nurse suddenly said, bringing her back from her thoughts. "Dr. Fell is ready to see you," she smiled politely.

She was just about to go inside the office of the doctor when she heard someone calling her name. Surprised, she turned around only to stand face to face with her baby's daddy. "Damon?" she gasped in surprise, shocked that he came to the appointment after all. He was the last person she had been expecting.

"Sorry I'm late, traffic was crazy," he apologized quickly, taking her hand in his while they walked towards the office. The gesture felt like the most usual thing in the world… like nothing ever went wrong between them.

"You came," she mused, surprise clearly showing in her voice.

He nodded, not ready to explain why exactly he did decide to come. He had been surprised when she texted him, though he also had mixed feelings about this entire thing. He hadn't known what to do. While he wanted to see the ultrasound of the baby, he wasn't sure that he was up to facing Elena.

They still hadn't talked about the major issues between them, though he was the one that kept avoiding serious subjects. He didn't want to lash out at her because she had to stay calm and relaxed. Having a fight with him would mean the exact opposite. He was afraid that he might say some things he'd regret later. However, he had to admit, being away from her did make him realize a few things. For one, he wasn't going to give up this easily. He wanted this baby, he wanted a family and he wanted nothing more than to be together with the mother of his unborn child.

"Good morning, Elena," Dr. Fell exclaimed happily when she saw the brunette walking into her office.

She stood up from behind her desk and gave Elena a handshake, looking at Damon in astonishment. "You must be, Damon?" she questioned carefully, shaking hands with him as well.

"I am," he said, giving her one of his charming smirks. Elena noticed the immediate blush on Meredith's face and she had to try her best not to laugh. It was so typical Damon to get a reaction like that. He always seemed to make the entire female population swoon. Well everyone besides Bonnie, that is.

"It's nice to meet you, Damon," Dr. Fell smiled, when she recovered from her sudden distraction. "Now that you're both here, we can go over some of your family medical history again. Elena wasn't able to fill all the gaps, though she pretty much explained everything I had to know. After we're done, we'll do some extra examinations and we'll watch the ultrasound. If everything went according to plan, your baby should be growing again. If not… well you know what happens," Meredith ended sadly.

Both soon to be parents nodded, nervous to find out how their baby was doing.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, Elena lay anxiously on the examination table waiting for Meredith to start the ultrasound. Damon was standing beside her, nervously playing with her hair. He had been quite during the entire appointment which made her realize that he was just as nervous as she was. She liked the fact that he kept fiddling with her hair, it gave her a relaxed feeling knowing he was so close.<p>

"All the former examinations went well, so I don't expect to see anything that will worry me. However, you can never be sure," Meredith explained while putting some lube on Elena's stomach.

The room was silent for a few moments while both Damon and Elena watched the little screen intensely, looking at the small miracle they created together. "Looks good," Dr. Fell remarked, watching the screen. "As you can see here," she pointed, "That's your baby's heartbeat. I can let you hear it if you want," she smiled. "Little baby Salvatore is still a little smaller than the average baby at this stage would be, though it looks so much better than the last time we did an ultrasound," Meredith added happily.

When Elena heard the heartbeat of the little miracle inside her stomach for the first time, her eyes started to get teary. It was the most beautiful sound she ever heard. She suddenly felt Damon taking her hand in his; she noticed how vulnerable he looked and it made her stomach do somersaults when she watched him. She'd never seen him look happier. It surprised her, though in a very good way.

"I'll leave you two alone for a while," Dr. Fell smiled, noticing the loving looks on the couple's faces. They'd be great parents, she was sure of it. They already looked at their baby like it was the most beautiful and perfect creature in the entire world.

* * *

><p>"Bonnie, what's wrong?" Jenna asked worried when she saw the horrified look on the woman's face. She had been doing research for almost three days now, though she hadn't found much about Elena's medical family history so far.<p>

"It's just… I mean I found… I," she stuttered in shock.

"You're confusing me, honey. What's wrong? It must be something important if it got your panties in a twist," Jenna smiled, trying to lighten the mood. There was far too much tension in the room.

"Come and look at this," Bonnie said slowly, pointing at her laptop. Jenna nodded and complied, her eyes widening when she read the same article Bonnie had been reading just minutes ago.

"Oh my," the poor woman whispered, shocked to the core.

* * *

><p>"Thanks for showing up at the appointment," Elena smiled at Damon when they walked out of the doctor's office together. They were both still walking on clouds after seeing their baby.<p>

"I wanted to," he smiled back. "I just had to see this little baby growing inside of you." He still couldn't believe what he'd seen. For the first time in weeks, he finally felt like everything would be alright. Just looking at the ultrasound, he knew he'd do everything to protect that innocent little creature,_ his_ child.

"It still amazes me every single day," Elena mused, rubbing her stomach lovingly.

"You're going to be an amazing mom," Damon suddenly said out of nowhere, even surprising himself.

"And you, Mr. Salvatore, are going to be the coolest dad ever," she told him smiling. "I won't be surprised if you're going to spoil the kid rotten."

He let out a chuckle, feeling happy, but confused at the same time. They looked so normal like this, the perfect couple, though they were far from it. He could easily imagine them being together, raising their child and living the happily ever after most people wanted. It was almost too easy.

"I guess I'll see you at the next appointment?" Elena asked hopefully, looking him deeply in the eye, trying to find answers even he didn't know the answer to.

"I guess so," he agreed, giving her a quick peck on the cheek without thinking before rapidly turning around and walking towards his parked car.

Elena stood as still as a statue, softly touching her cheek where his lips had lingered only seconds ago. Did that just really happen or was she starting to have very vivid day dreams? Shaking her head, she took the car keys out of her purse and she started to walk towards her own car.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So how did you like the chapter? Happy that Damon and Elena are finally making progress? They still have many issues to sort out and they'll have to talk about what happened if they ever want to overcome their problems… but don't worry, time will heal the wounds! <strong>

**Btw, any guesses to what Bonnie found out? I'm sure the suspense is killing you, lol. **

**I still have a very important question for you, girls! I would like to know whether you want Elena to have a girl or a boy. I can't seem to make a decision myself so I'm going to let you decide! So make sure to let me know in your reviews! ;)**

**Ps. Yes, I also want to know the opinion of the girls that don't review frequently. Just BOY or GIRL will suffice! :D **

**Follow me on twitter: Rosesforever94**

**Xoxo**


	21. Love Endures All

**First of all, thank you soooooooo much, guys! I got 45 reviews last chapter, 45 OMG that's amazing! I've never gotten this much reviews in my life for just one chapter! I still can't believe it! You're awesome and I love each one of you! It means a lot to me, seriously!**

**Of course, also a thank you to the amazing Mirna, for being the most incredible pre-reader out there and to Jamie for beta reading the chapter.**

**Diclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine!**

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**Chapter 20**

** Love Endures All**

** Day 99**

It was almost noon when Elena arrived back home from her appointment with Dr. Fell. She felt happy about the news she had received; the baby seemed to be doing quite well and that was all she could've asked for. She felt beyond amazing and could not wait to tell Bonnie and Jenna the good news.

When she walked inside the house, the two women were impatiently pacing around in the living room, making Elena a little nervous. "Something wrong?" she questioned when she put her handbag down, making the two of them jump up in surprise. They clearly didn't hear her walking in.

"I'm going to leave the two of you alone," Bonnie stated, quickly running out of the room. Elena gave her a confused look but didn't comment. She had a feeling that she would soon know what was going on.

"How was your appointment with Dr. Fell, honey?" Jenna asked friendly, sitting down on the couch and patting the empty space next to her.

"Good, very good. The baby seems to be growing again. Although it is still a little small, things seem to be looking better," she explained, walking over to the couch.

"That's wonderful news, sweetie! I'm glad. Did Damon join you or did you go to the appointment all by yourself?" Jenna smiled, honestly relieved that the baby was doing better. She wasn't sure Elena could handle more bad news.

"He did, surprisingly. I honestly didn't believe he'd show up. I should have more faith in him, he's going to be a wonderful father," she said joyfully, not even realizing how much her mood had improved since she'd seen Damon.

"You look different," Jenna suddenly remarked, noticing the bright smile across Elena's face. She hadn't seen her look this happy in weeks. After Damon and she started fighting, Elena changed a lot. She wasn't the joyful, happy, young woman anymore. It had been far too long since the last time Elena looked careless.

"I feel different," Elena agreed, nodding. "I'm euphoric that the baby's doing better, though part of me is also relieved that Damon seems to come to terms with our situation. He didn't look unsure or regretful anymore. The tension between us was still there, though it seemed to have gotten less. He wasn't fighting himself to keep his anger in control. He seemed… he almost seemed relaxed," Elena murmured, thinking about the appointment.

"That's good. Alaric told me that Damon is doing better again, though I didn't know if I could believe him. Damon's a complicated guy, it's not easy to find out what he's thinking," Jenna explained, smiling at her niece.

"Now, are you going to tell me what's up with Bonnie and you? I'm not going to let you keep this up for much longer. It was obvious that something happened. So, what is it?" Elena questioned, getting a little impatient. She walked in on something… though she had no idea what it was. Jenna usually didn't keep secrets.

"I don't know how to say this, Elena," Jenna struggled, her tone light as a feather. Elena almost pitied her, she'd never seen the woman looking this uncomfortable.

"Just give it a try," Elena suggested softly, giving Jenna a reassuring smile. However, the obvious distress didn't leave the woman's face; she looked utterly lost.

"We… well actually Bonnie… well, she found out that… that uhm…" the poor woman stuttered.

"Yes, what did Bonnie find out?" Elena interrupted, taking Jenna's hand in hers and squeezing it.

"We're related," she suddenly blurted out, making Elena raise her eyebrow in surprise. "What do you mean, we're related?" Elena questioned in confusion.

"Miranda, your mother. She's… she's my sister. I'm Jenna Sommers, sister of Miranda Sommers. I always found it rather curious that you shared the same name as Miranda's husband did, though I never really gave it much of a thought," she explained carefully.

"You're my aunt?" Elena stated, though it sounded more like a question. "But, how's that possible? I always thought my mother was an only child."

"My mother wasn't very fond of Miranda, especially not when she decided to marry Grayson. When she got the chance to get a job in Virginia she left, taking me with her because I was still under aged. She forbid me to call or search for Miranda and once she passed away, it was already too late," Jenna answered sadly.

"Oh my gosh, this can't be happening," Elena murmured, her body still as a statue from the shock she was currently in. How was it possible? How could her mother not tell her about Jenna? Or uncle John for that matter. How many skeletons were there left in the closet? Would this ever stop? She always accepted the fact that besides her mother, she had no real family left.

All of a sudden, she found all these new people who were related to her. It was confusing, but more importantly, frustrating as hell. She was starting to question her mother, the one person she loved most and it scared her. In the past, she always had this perfect image of her mother. The strong and loving wife that had to take care of her little daughter when her husband unexpectedly passed away. The bright woman that, no matter what, always tried to stay strong and care for her child. True, Miranda hadn't always been the perfect example of how a mother should be, but that didn't mean she had been a bad mother.

However, now that Elena was finding out about all the lies her mother had told her, or rather all the secrets she'd kept, Elena didn't know what to think. Had everything been a lie? It was a question that kept haunting her.

"I can't believe it," Elena whispered, finally looking up at Jenna. The poor woman looked pale and utterly mortified, as if she was waiting for Elena to explode. "But it's not a bad thing," she added when she saw the uncertainty on her aunt's face.

"No? You're not… uncomfortable with this situation? I mean, you like it that we're related?" Jenna questioned cautiously.

"Of course I'm happy that we're related. It's just a lot to take in at the moment. I mean after everything that happened with John…," Elena explained.

"Sure, honey. I know it's not easy to keep finding out these things," Jenna said, wrapping her arms around Elena and hugging her niece.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 106<strong>

It had been a week since the last time she saw Damon and she missed him deeply. The appointment at Dr. Fell's had been great and she was glad that he eventually decided to join her. It had been wonderful to watch their little miracle together, like a real family. She could already imagine how there life would be once the baby was born. She just wanted to hold their child in her arms and care for him or her.

They had come a long way, though she knew that their healing process was far from over. Damon would have come to her if he wanted to solve their problems and move on. He still needed time and she would give it to him. She knew better than to push him or make all the decisions instead of letting him choose. She made that mistake once, she wouldn't make it a second time.

From now on, he could decide what he wanted and she wouldn't keep any secrets. In the end, telling the truth always worked out far better than keeping secrets or telling lies. She wished she didn't have to make such a horrible fault before realizing these kind of things. At least now, she would never forget how important it was to inform everyone about significant stuff, regardless of the consequences. Honesty meant a great deal and she would have to rebuild her relationship with Damon and earn his trust back again.

That's why she kept him informed on everything nowadays. She texted him every single morning to tell him about the events of the previous day, how she spent her day, what new things she learned, and most importantly how the baby was doing. He seemed to be very grateful for that because he always texted her back within a minute. It was as if he had been waiting for her message. She felt like a love sick teenager all over again and couldn't wait to receive his next reply.

When her phone started beeping, she quickly took it from the nightstand next to the bed and smiled in rejoice. When she opened the message, her eyes went wide. The soft curl of her lips broadened as far as it could possibly go.

"_Would you like to come over for dinner tonight? I think it's time we finally have that talk and get it over with. We've been separated for far too long already. D"_

He wanted to see her! He actually wanted to have a talk with her and figure things out! Her body trembled slightly, thanks to the pure joy that went through her spine. She couldn't believe it. Would he finally be ready to forgive her? Why else would he suddenly want to talk to her, out of the blue? Relief washed over her. Maybe their relationship was fixable after all and she hadn't ruined everything. She knew she didn't deserve this because what she did to him was a low blow. Thinking about her initial plan, she realized that it would've never worked out. She wouldn't have been able to stay away from him.

"Aunt Jenna!" Elena called out, she actually started using the term aunt a few days ago. It sounded right and Jenna didn't seem to mind.

"Yes, honey, everything alright?" the woman wondered when she walked inside Elena's bedroom, her voice sounding slightly worried.

"Yes, everything's perfectly fine. I just received a text from Damon," she smiled happily.

"Oh? What did it say?" Jenna questioned, knowing Damon and she had been texting all week now. The two of them didn't admit it, though things were already going much better between them. They both looked considerably happier now that they were talking again.

Alaric had seen the same thing happening to Damon. Her husband and she talked quite often about those two love birds. Jenna was concerned about both of them, though it looked like everything would work out in the end. Ric and she even made a bet to see how long it would take before Damon and Elena would officially started dating again.

Jenna guessed that it wouldn't take longer than two weeks. Alaric went for a month. Whoever won the bet would get to boss the other one around for two days- Jenna could already feel the massages coming! Ooh, she was going to enjoy those two days thoroughly.

"He asked if I wanted to come over for dinner tonight!" Elena exclaimed excitedly.

"That's amazing news, sweetie," her aunt smiled, thinking about the amazing prize she was going to receive when she won the bet.

"Would you mind terribly if I wear your black, velvet dress?" Elena asked cautiously. "It's such a beautiful dress and I want to look good tonight. Most of my own dresses are still stored at the boarding house and I don't want to interrupt Damon when he prepares dinner," she explained.

"Of course, honey. I don't mind at all," the woman answered kindly, a big smile spreading across her lips. Everything would be fine, it was just a matter of time.

* * *

><p>At six o'clock, Elena arrived at the boarding house. She nervously rang the bell, rubbing her palms together while she waited for Damon to answer the door. She still had her own key, though it didn't feel right to use it. She had been invited over, it wasn't like she still lived there.<p>

When the door finally opened, a smile broke lose across her features. Damon looked devilishly handsome, as usual. He was wearing one of her favorite jeans, the dark blue pair that hung low across his hips. On top, he wore a black shirt that showed off his muscled chest and arms perfectly. He looked good enough to eat and all of a sudden her hunger for food was replaced with a new hunger entirely.

When Damon saw the way Elena's eyes darkened and her lips softly started to pout, his jeans started to get very tight and he was doubting his choice of having this conversation when they were all alone. He had this feeling that there wouldn't happen much of talking if he didn't quickly compose himself and quit checking her out. Of course, she had to wear such a revealing dress that made his mouth water just by looking at her. No matter if he was mad at her or not, the strong attraction between them would never go away. The pull towards her just seemed to get worse every time they saw each other.

He should've chosen a public place instead of having dinner in private. At least then, he wouldn't have to worry about jumping her bones. "Come in," he told her shortly, surprised by how normal his voice sounded. His body felt like it was about to explode.

When Elena finally looked away, she realized he'd told her to come inside so she obliged and walked past him. She chided herself when their arms brushed and quickly glanced over her shoulder to watch his eyes turn dark. It seemed like she wasn't the only one who was affected by the presence of the other person.

The moment she walked into the kitchen, her heart skipped a beat. The view just completely took her breath away. There were candles on the table and it was beautifully made. She stared at the table in awe, totally unaware of Damon's heavy look.

He was watching her intentionally, secretly proud when her eyes almost popped out of her head while she was looking at his work. He didn't even know why he'd felt the urge to show-off and make everything look perfect. Although when he watched her, he was glad he did cause nothing could compare to the enormous smile that graced Elena's features.

"I'm glad you seem to approve," he whispered in her ear, startling her. She had no idea he had been watching her and suddenly felt very exposed. His breath tickled the column of her neck and she had to resist the urge to turn around and wrap her arms around his muscled body.

"If you're ready, you may sit down and I'll serve the starters," he added, taking a step back with an amused look across his face. Seducing her hadn't been on his list of plans for tonight, though he was quite enjoying himself. The way her body reacted to his reminded him of how wonderful they were together.

He always hated how his body betrayed him, though at the moment, Elena was the one having the most trouble. Her breath had quickened drastically and she looked as if she'd seen a ghost. The shock mixed with surprise and true desire looked good on her. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her and it gave him more satisfaction than it should have.

Unable to pronounce a single word, Elena walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. Damon was playing with fire and she was the one getting burned. She was the one that didn't know how to compose herself and act like a real adult instead of a horny and nervous teenager. She felt sixteen all over again.

The anticipation of what the night would or wouldn't bring was killing her. Even if nothing happened and they didn't solve their issues, she would still have the memory of this evening that started off perfectly. They ate in silence for the first few minutes, watching each other carefully and trying to stay calm. She was usually at ease around him and felt comfortable in his presence, though at the moment her heart was racing.

"Why exactly did you decide to keep the baby a secret from me?" he suddenly blurted out, unable to keep the words from coming.

"I knew you were hiding something for me. I mean, you had been distant and suddenly didn't want to be together with me anymore, but I would've never thought it would be something so big," he explained, putting his knife and fork down to look at her.

"I'm sorry," she told him regretfully. "I never meant to hurt you- that was why I wanted to keep the baby a secret in the first place. I was afraid that I'd make you unhappy by bringing a baby into our life. I mean, you were just starting to get used to the idea of us being together, let alone become a father this early in our relationship. I didn't want you to stay with me because of this baby but because you loved me. I was afraid that once you knew I was pregnant, you would feel as if it was your duty to take care of us instead of following your heart," she explained carefully, taking a deep and relaxing breath.

"I don't want you to wake up a year from now and realize you're not happy with your life," she added sadly.

"I don't know how I will feel about you and the baby a year from now, but what I do know is that at this moment in my life, I want to be a father and I want to have a family of my own. It might be soon and unexpected, but that doesn't mean that I don't want this. Everything between us has been overwhelming and hectic but that doesn't mean I like it any less," he told her, looking her deeply in the eye.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm still furious at you for keeping such a big secret from me and I can't promise you that I will trust you from now on. However, want to try; I want to see where the future takes us...whether we'll be friends or lovers, as long as we're both in our child's life."

She nodded, grateful that she'd found a man like Damon. Any other guy probably would've dumped her without having a second thought. "That sounds good to me," she smiled, trying not to look too excited. She didn't want to seem desperate.

"Now about your living arrangements. I think it's time for you to come home. It's better for the baby if we live together. The house is big enough to avoid each other if necessary, though I don't think that will be a problem," he suggested, standing up and putting the empty plates in the dishwasher before returning with the main course.

"You really think that's a good idea? With the stress and everything I mean," she questioned.

"Elena, I'm not going to punish you for making a mistake. Don't worry, I won't start a fight. However, I can't promise that we'll never argue. I know you can't take too much pressure and I won't give you a difficult time as long as you don't expect me to simply forgive you and forget about what happened," he stated, taking a bite of his meal.

"Of course I don't expect that. Believe me, I feel blessed that you're so generous and sweet even though I don't deserve any of it," she told him, softly moaning when she tasted the food. He'd made another amazing plate though she was used by his impressive cooking skills by now. He wanted to tell her not to be so hard on herself, though in reality part of it was actually true so he kept his mouth shut.

"Do you like it?" he questioned instead, pointing at the food in front of her. "It's amazing," she smiled, glad that the heavy topic was settled for now. She wasn't sure how much more she would have been able to handle.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 118<strong>

Today she was finally moving back home. After her heart to heart conversation with Damon a little over a week ago, she decided she was ready to come home again. She knew it wasn't going to be easy but she clung to the hope that things would turn out fine. After all, Damon had been a perfect gentleman.

He never tried to start a fight, kept his anger in control and didn't plague her with comments about what happened. He simply stayed calm and kept his true feelings hidden behind a solid wall. Sometimes, she wished he'd just get angry and show her what was going through his head.

At other times, she was afraid of how he might be feeling and felt relieved that he didn't confront her with the truth. Deep down, she knew that something had to change. He was a ticking time bomb, ready to explode. He was a passionate man with quite a temper and, at some point, he wouldn't be able to keep everything to himself anymore. It was bound to happen someday, though she hoped that, by then, their relationship would have improved.

They were working on it, though it was obvious that Damon kept his distance and honestly, she couldn't blame him. He had every right not to trust her, though he still kept trying, which she adored about him. He treated her far better than she deserved to. _It's because after everything what happened, he still loves you!_ She heard Jenna's voice in her head.

The two of them had been talking a lot since they found out that they were related. It felt wonderful to be this close with someone. Jenna also tried to help her to win Damon's trust back, she gave her advice and tried to explain how she thought he was feeling. It was nice to have someone like her around, she truly felt like Jenna was the only one who understood her. Bonnie was far too judgmental to give solid advice and Caroline too naïve.

"Elena? Damon's here to pick up your stuff!" Jenna yelled from in the living room. Damon and she had agreed that today they would be moving everything back so she would be able to stay at the boarding house without missing any of her stuff. He'd been determined to pick her up because he didn't want her to carry all the heavy boxes. The doctor advised her to rest and Damon would do everything he could to make sure she followed the order.

"I'm almost ready!" she yelled back, closing the last box. It was incredible how many new things she bought during her stay at Jenna's house. Most of it was provided for the baby: pregnancy books, teddy bears, little shoes,… It was unbelievable how many things she already stored so early in her pregnancy.

Before she could lift the box into her arms, Damon suddenly appeared in front of her and quickly snatched the box away from her. "You know what the doctor told you, Elena," he lectured, looking her in the eye.

"It's just a box, Damon. I'm pregnant, not handicapped," she retorted, raising her eyebrow while looking at him intentionally.

"We're not taking any risks. Now get your ass in the car while I carry all the boxes and put them in the trunk," he demanded, before walking out of the room again.

"This conversation isn't over, Salvatore!" she shouted behind his back, annoyed by his laugh that followed. He was not going to boss her around, she would make sure of it. Elena Gilbert was not a submissive person, not even a little bit.

Shaking her head, she started walking towards the car, sticking her tongue out like a twelve year old when she passed Damon. Damn it, why did she listen to him again? She hated not being able to do whatever she wanted. She had to eat healthy, take enough rest, avoid carrying heavy things, not exercise too much,… the list went on and on. She was going to be ecstatic when she finally would be able to live a normal life again.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the boarding house. Her heart swelled a little when she stared at the mansion from the outside; it looked beautiful. She still remembered her first arrival here vividly. The weather had been horrible and her meeting with the Salvatore brothers had been unexpected, but furthermore very uncomfortable. Damon had looked at her with so much hatred that she wasn't sure how it was possible that their relationship had changed so much since that day.

"Where do you want me to put these?" Damon suddenly questioned from beside her, pointing at her suitcase.

"My room," she told him softly, a sting of pain going through her chest when she realized moving back home wasn't going to mean moving back into their bedroom. No, it meant going back to HER room- the one Stefan gave her when she first moved in.

He nodded, picking up the heavy case and signing for her to do the same thing. When they arrived upstairs, he suddenly came to a halt, "The room on your right is going to be the baby's room," he said, his lips curving into a soft smile before he started walking again and put her suitcases in place.

She glanced at him confused, not really knowing what she was supposed to do with the information. "You can go in there, you know," he smirked when he saw her standing in the middle of the hallway, still as a statue.

She did and her mouth fell open at the sight, her eyes widening. He painted the room? She was shocked to see that Damon had managed to make a beautiful nursery room out of the old bedchamber. The entire boarding house looked kind of ancient, though somehow he had managed to give the baby's room a modern and elegant look.

"If you don't like it, you may always redecorate the room. When I was bored, I felt the need to start working on the nursery," he told her, a little nervous to see her reaction. She looked kind of shocked, though that was all he could make out of it.

"No, no. It looks beautiful, absolutely perfect," Elena mused, awestruck.

"I'm glad you approve," he smirked confidently, though in reality he was relieved that she liked it and not at all feeling confident.

"Thank you," she suddenly whispered. When she turned around, he saw that tears had started to form in her eyes.

"It means a lot to me," she added before wrapping her arms around his torso. He was shocked at first, not moving. As soon as he realized what was happening, he pulled her closer to his body and nuzzled his nose into her hair. She smelled wonderful, like lavender soap. It felt good to have her so close and, for a moment, he forgot about everything but her. Moments like these, he wished they were the only two people on the world, stuck in their own little perfect bubble.

When they finally pulled apart, Elena looked a little flushed. Her cheeks were bright red from embarrassment. "I'm sorry," she whimpered, afraid she'd done something wrong. She wanted to give him space, she really did, though for a moment she just forgot about their current situation.

"If it had been a problem, I wouldn't have hugged you back, Elena," he told her, pushing a loosened lock of hair back behind her ear before walking downstairs, leaving her alone in the new nursery room.

She had to take a deep breath, slowly calming down. Damn, it had felt good to be wrapped into his strong arms again, to feel utterly loved. She could only hope that one day, he would wake up and realize he'd found the courage to forgive her and move forward. Although until that time arrived, she would be patiently waiting for him. There was no way she would even consider ever leaving him again.

* * *

><p><strong>Now, how did you like the chapter? Lots of progress!<strong>

**The voting, many of you told me whether they wanted Elena to have a baby boy or baby girl and the results were pretty clear. 13 of you wanted her to have a little boy, though 21 of you wanted her to have a baby GIRL! I think you all know what that means.**

**Another important note, I will be posting my new story by the end of this week. Don't worry, UV will still get regular updates, but I just wanted to let you all know that there will be a new story out there, ready to be read! ;) It'll be called 'Starcrossed Lovers'. **

**Thanks again for all the positive comments last chapter. It would mean a lot to me if all of you reviewed again and let me know what you think of the chapter! Just press the button! **

**I love you!**

**Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94**

**Xoxo**


	22. Our Baby

**Hello lovelies, I'm back with a new chapter and it's as long one! Enjoy!**

**Thank you to Jamie and Mirna for helping me out with the chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine. **

* * *

><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**Chapter 21 **

**Our Baby **

**Day 132**

The past two weeks had been going really well and Elena finally started to believe that things would indeed turn out to be fine. The baby was still doing okay and she didn't have any cramps, her stress level had decreased drastically, and Damon didn't hold a grudge against her. He was still hurt, which was understandable after everything she'd put him through, but he didn't treat her badly. He kept his distance but he also tried to talk to her from time to time.

He was trying and that was all she could ask for and so much more. He handled the situation really well, even though she hadn't given him any reason to keep being so nice. She'd expected him to avoid her once she moved back in, or at least to pick a fight. Neither of that happened, he just tried to be considerate and helped her out as much as he could. He made sure that she didn't lift anything too heavy or work out in her condition.

Damon was incredibly sweet and she felt as if she'd fallen in love with him all over again. He still had his temper, though he tried to control himself as much as possible and he didn't lash out at her. The past weeks had made her realize that she didn't know him as well as she thought she did. She had been convinced that he wouldn't be ready to start a family.

In reality, the real problem had been her. She had been having the most issues with the fact that she would become a mother so soon. Blinded by fear and doubt, she had ignored her own problems and reflected them on Damon instead. She'd convinced herself that he wouldn't be ready and not want a baby when all along, it had been her who was having those fears.

In those two months she'd known Damon, she'd thought that she knew who he was. In reality, she didn't have a clue. She'd seen a part of him, but not everything. She had made conclusions based on expectations and prejudices.

She probably should've realized all of this sooner, but she couldn't go back in time to change everything, even if she wanted to. She had made a mistake, a bad one, and she was going to try to fix it and make things better. She couldn't take away the hurt she'd put Damon through and she couldn't push him to believe her and win back his trust. However, she was going to try as hard as she could, fight harder than ever before, to make him see and feel her love. She knew he had been having doubts about what she felt for him and it was time for that to change.

"Elena?" Caroline said, while knocking on the door. "Your friend Bonnie is here. She wanted to say goodbye to you before she left," the blonde explained.

"I thought she wouldn't be leaving until the end of the week," Elena stated confused, quickly opening the door.

"You should ask her, I don't know anything about it," Caroline advised, shrugging.

Elena nodded and thanked Caroline before running downstairs. Bonnie was still standing in the hallway, looking around curiously. She only had been in the boarding house once during her stay in Mystic Falls because Elena usually settled on meeting at Jenna's house or the Grill. She didn't want to disturb Caroline and Stefan, though she knew they probably wouldn't mind.

"Hi," Elena smiled, walking over to her friend and hugging her.

"I came to say goodbye," Bonnie explained once they pulled back. "Luca's sister will be visiting this week so I had to leave earlier than expected. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not!" Elena assured her. "You've been apart for far too long already. I know you must have missed him and your home. You know you didn't have to come to Mystic Falls because I was sick, right?"

"I know that, Elena, but I wanted to come. You're my friend, I couldn't let you down," Bonnie reassured her friend.

"You'll always be one of my closest friends, Bon. I wouldn't know what to do without you," she smiled, her eyes becoming teary.

"This won't be a goodbye, Lena. Just a see you later," Bonnie stated, hugging her friend once again. "I'll miss you," she went on, letting out a deep sigh.

"You can come and visit us any time you want. You and Luca are always welcome," Elena proposed, smiling meekly.

"The same thing goes for you, Gilbert. You should come to the city again. And don't forget to bring Blondie. I'm sure she'll love to see all the shopping malls we have," she winked.

"Caroline would love that, though I don't think I'm going to take any risks and step on a plane any time soon. Maybe after the baby is born," Elena explained, walking outside the house together with her friend.

"Of course. You know, if anything goes wrong, call me. I know you're entering the second stage of your pregnancy and most risks are gone but be careful," Bonnie suggested, walking over to her car.

"I will be. It would break my heart if anything happens to this little miracle," Elena told her friend seriously, gently rubbing her stomach. She was finally starting to show and she loved it, though most people probably wouldn't notice her baby bump. Only the ones who knew about the pregnancy saw the way her body had started to change the past few weeks.

"Bye, Lena, take good care of yourself," Bonnie smiled, waving at her friend one last time before stepping into her car.

"Bye, Bonnie. Have a safe trip back to the city," Elena answered politely, waving back. She was glad Bonnie had decided to come and felt a little sad that she was already leaving again. Having her friend since kindergarten around certainly helped her stay calm and enjoy her pregnancy the best she could under the circumstances. Bonnie always seemed to be there when she needed her most.

"Don't be sad, Lena. I'm sure she'll come back to visit you soon," Caroline reassured her, suddenly appearing in front of her. She had tried to give those two a little privacy, though she couldn't help but notice the sad look across Elena's face when Bonnie started the engine of the car and drove away.

"I still can't believe that we don't live in the same apartment anymore," Elena confessed, smiling weakly. "Bonnie and I always talked about how we'd raise our children together and send them to the same school in the hope that they'd become close friends like we did," she explained, gazing the drive lane dreamily as if Bonnie could reappear any minute.

Caroline nodded and smiled. "You two have been friends for a long time, right?" she questioned softly, turning around to walk inside. Elena followed her suit, looking over her shoulder one last time to see Bonnie's car disappearing out of sight.

"Since kindergarten," Elena agreed, nodding. "We instantly became friends."

"I wish I had a bestie like that. My years in high school pretty much ruined my chances to find a decent friend who wouldn't leave my side," Caroline answered sadly. "I mean, I was a real bitch. I'm so ashamed of a few things I said to people during my teen years. I was horrible and those people probably still hate me."

"It's in the past, Care. You can't change what you did, you can only try to improve your behavior in the future. Besides, you have me; I won't let you down," Elena promised, smiling reassuringly at her friend.

"You better not," the blonde teased, her sad mood already far gone and replaced by a big smile. She wasn't the brooding type. Caroline's motto always had been 'stay positive and seize the day'.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 150<strong>

"Elena, you've got a visitor!" Caroline called out. Elena sat up surprised, putting the latest novel she was reading beside her on the bedside table. It was already past eight o'clock and she didn't have a clue who would be visiting her this late on a Friday evening.

Shaking her head, she threw her long, toned legs off the bed and stood up, taking one last glance at her book before walking downstairs. Damn it, whoever decided to disturb her relaxed night of reading 'Black Dagger Brotherhood' didn't have good timing- she'd just started reading a very interesting scene.

Following the advice of Dr. Fell, Elena tried to rest as much as possible which included reading lots of books. Caroline and she had searched for the most interesting ones to keep her busy and, for now, it was working out really well. A little too well maybe. She had a feeling that she was starting to get addicted.

When Elena walked into the living room, she immediately noticed the two huge bowls of popcorn that were sitting on the coffee table and the stack of DVD's beside them. "What's going on?" she asked confused, frowning.

"We are having a girls night!" Caroline answered excitedly, appearing out of nowhere with Jenna beside her.

"What do you mean we're having a girls night?" Elena questioned, shaking her head.

"Please, Elena. It means that we're having a girls night, duh! Jenna missed you and we both agreed that a girls night would distract you for a little while and keep your mind off things," Caroline explained, walking over to the couch and sitting down. She patted the empty space between her, signaling for her to do the same thing.

"I was distracted, alright. Those books you bought me are awesome," Elena smiled, sitting down next to the girls.

"Which ones did you buy her?" Jenna questioned excitedly, joining the conversation.

"The Black Dagger Brotherhood series, though I'm thinking of letting her read Fifty Shades of Grey as well," Caroline winked, a huge grin across her face.

"You sure she could handle that? I mean there's a lot of… kinky stuff in it," Jenna answered blushing.

"Have you ever read BDB? There's smutty stuff in almost every chapter," Caroline grinned, not at all looking shy.

"Girls, please, another subject," Elena interfered, not wanting to know more. She liked the books she was reading, though she didn't want to discuss them openly. Who knows who'd walk in on them?

"You're such a prude, Elena. It's just sex," Caroline said, rolling her eyes.

"It's cute," Jenna smiled, taking a handful of popcorn. "Damn, this is good," she moaned when she took a bite.

"Stefan made it before he left the house, he's such a sweetheart sometimes," the blonde smiled, clearly still madly in love.

"You're one hell of a lucky woman," Jenna stated. "Alaric would never do something like that. He's only nice and sweet when he wants sex. It's annoying, really. I can already see what's coming before he starts kissing me."

"I'm usually the one who has to persuade Stefan to have sex. His stamina isn't anymore what it has been when we started our relationship," Caroline answered sadly. "We used to have sex all the time, at random places, and in the middle of the day!"

"I totally understand what you mean," Jenna nodded enthusiastically.

Elena watched them interact smiling. She didn't dare to interrupt their apparently interesting conversation. She still felt kind of shy when they started to talk about such a confidential subject. They were so different from Bonnie but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"What movie are we going to watch?" Elena questioned suddenly, distracting them both.

"We haven't decided yet," her aunt told her. "Although we're going for a romantic one. Caroline searched out the best ones."

"Where are Stefan and Damon, actually? I thought they'd be home," Elena asked while going through the pile of DVD's to pick the most interesting one.

"They're hanging out at the Grill with Ric," Jenna informed her. "Most of the renovations are over and Damon wanted to test the new interior with his friends. In other words, they're having the time of their life and drinking tons of beer without anyone confronting them about it," she explained, rolling her eyes.

"Are the renovations already finished?" Elena questioned, surprised. To be honest, with everything that had been going on, she'd completely forgotten about Damon's big dream to take over the Grill and start his own restaurant. She didn't have a clue that he was still going through with it. She should've asked him, how inconsiderate of her. Damon probably thought she wasn't interested in what he was doing.

"Most of it. Although you should ask Caroline, she's the one that helped Damon out," Jenna advised, taking another grab out of the popcorn bowl.

"You helped him out?" Elena asked, once again surprised, turning to face the blonde who was currently trying to get the DVD player to work.

"Uhuh. He asked me. He wanted something to distract himself from everything that's going on, so he decided that working would be the best way to clear his mind," Caroline nodded, finally managing to put the DVD player on.

"Can I ask you something, Elena?" Jenna suddenly questioned.

"Of course, what it is?" she said curiously, handing over the DVD she'd chosen to Caroline.

"What do you and Damon talk about? It seems like you know nothing about what's going on lately. Are you sure things are getting better between you guys?" Jenna asked worriedly.

"We're doing okay, though I feel like there's no real progress lately. I mean, we talk sometimes, mostly about the baby, but he never… you know… touches me. It's like he doesn't want me physically anymore," Elena answered softly, showing her true fears. She knew it was probably stupid and totally inappropriate of her to remark, but it was the way she felt. She couldn't help but think that Damon didn't want her anymore.

"Believe me, he does, Elena. He just doesn't want to get hurt again and tries to protect himself," Caroline interrupted. "You probably should take the initiative if you want anything to happen between the two of you. I don't know, try to kiss him or something. If he pulls back, that means he still isn't ready, if he doesn't… well, see how far he takes it," she suggested, putting on the DVD and sitting down on the couch again.

"I'm not going to push him, Care. I won't forgive myself if I make things even harder between us," Elena stated, shaking her head in dismiss.

"I agree with Caroline on this one, though," Jenna interfered. "Damon isn't going to take the first step, you can be sure of that. He tries to put as much distance as possible between the two of you so he won't have to show his true feelings. However, if you don't push his boundaries, you'll never be able to solve things."

"You really think it would be a good idea to push his limits? What if he isn't ready?" Elena answered worriedly. She didn't want to make things worse between them. She'd done enough damage for the rest of their relationship.

"You can never be sure, but it's worth the try, no?" Jenna retorted.

"I think so," Elena agreed, nodding. Everything was taking far too long for her own taste, though she'd thought Damon deserved some time to think; however, the women were right. If something was to happen between them, it would be because she took the initiative. There was no way Damon was going to put himself out there again if there was a possibility that he might get hurt. She'd seen how he kept putting distance between, making sure they never sat too close to each other or breathe the same air. She just thought it was because he was mad at her, not because he was deliberately trying to keep his walls up.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 192<strong>

Even after all the good advice both Caroline and Jenna had given her, she still hadn't made a decision to confront Damon. She respected his wishes and didn't interrupt him when it wasn't necessary. He needed the distance between them and she knew that. She would know when the time was right to make a move and now was not the time.

The past few days, he had been working almost day and night to get everything ready for the reopening of the Grill. He wasn't sleeping well so she'd tried to take care of him as much as possible, though he usually dismissed her actions of affection. When she stayed up till he came home, he told her that she should be asleep. When she got up early in the morning to make him coffee, he wanted her to go back to bed and sleep for another few hours.

It was utterly frustrating and she didn't know what to do anymore. He was probably just concerned about her, though she didn't need his worry but rather his love. She craved his touch and wanted to hug him so badly that it almost hurt, though she resisted the urge. Every time he was around, she felt drawn to him, like two magnets trying to find each other.

Her heart ached when he never came to her, talking to her as if she was just a friend instead of his former lover. She knew she shouldn't get mad, she had no right to be, but still she could help the furious thoughts that went through her mind every time he ignored her.

When she touched him during a conversation, her hand just lightly brushing his arm, he always pulled back quickly. However, not before she felt those tingles of joy going through her belly and little electric shocks flowing down her spine. It felt wonderful and she missed him so much it became almost unbearable. He might be around, but not in the way she wanted him to.

To make things even worse, she'd started to dream about them. Not just normal dreams but real sex fantasies. It was horrible. Every morning she woke up, her body was aching and lust was going through her veins. She honestly hoped that she didn't moan in her sleep because that would be so embarrassing. She'd tried to tell Caroline, though the blonde had been too busy planning her perfect wedding to really listen.

"Elena? Are you ready to leave?" Damon suddenly questioned from behind her, bringing her back to earth. She looked up to him in surprise, her cheeks bright red when she remembered what she had been thinking about.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly when he saw her flushed face, taking a step closer and watching her intently. He was standing really close, Elena thought dreamily. If she just took a step forward, their bodies would be touching.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said softly, quickly recomposing herself and cursing for being so easily distracted. She couldn't help it, Damon was just too damned good looking to ignore.

He nodded, giving her a strange look before walking towards the hallway. When she didn't immediately follow him, he turned around again. "You're acting really strange lately," he told her, shaking his head, not fully understanding what was going on.

Like he was one to talk, Elena thought, a grin appearing across her face. "I was just thinking," she explained, finally walking over to him and stopping just a few inches away. Damn, she could literally feel his breath against her cheek… his cologne lingering in the air between them, making her want to take a really deep breath and pull him in for a hug.

"Penny for your thoughts," he smirked. "You sure those pregnancy hormones aren't getting to you?"

"If they were, we wouldn't be talking right now but rather fucking against every single wall in the house," she deadpanned, shocked when she heard the words come out of her mouth. Holy shit, did she just really say that? She must have because the dark clouds that appeared in front of Damon's eyes certainly didn't come out of nowhere.

"Elena," he hissed, quickly turning around. Fucking hell, she did not just say that. He'd been trying to stay away from her the past weeks, making sure he wouldn't get tempted to take their relationship back to what it had been. He wasn't sure he could handle more heartbreak after they got back together for real but she was making it damn hard on him. Literally. The bulge in his pants didn't lie.

"Tempting proposition?" she taunted, fully in the mood to fuck with his head. Those damned sexual frustrations had been bottled up for far too long, they needed to get out somehow.

"We have an appointment with Dr. Fell in 40 minutes," he told her, taking a deep breath to control his hormones. She was driving him crazy, utterly mad.

"Cancel it," she whispered seductively, finally closing the remaining distance between their bodies and pulling him into an embrace. She nibbled softly at his earlobe, her hands fisting his hair while she pushed her body closer to his. A moan escaped her lips when she found the evidence of his arousal and she greedily rubbed herself against his lower body.

"Fuck, Elena," Damon cursed loudly before attacking her lips with all the passion he could muster. He pushed his knee between her legs and wrapped his hand around her frame, pulling her as close as humanly possible. When she opened her mouth to give him free access, he let out a growl while his tongue slowly slipped between her lips and passionately entwined with hers.

She didn't know how long they stayed like that, kissing each other until their bodies were out of air, both panting louder than they ever had before. "We really have to go see, Meredith," he said, almost disappointed.

"I know," she whispered softly, her voice still a little shaky. Damn, the man could kiss. How could she ever forget? Her entire body felt like Jell-O, warmth spreading through her like a wildfire. Her breasts felt entirely too sensitive and she almost begged him to touch her. It was ridiculous, yet the most incredible thing she ever felt.

"You drive me crazy," he admitted, his lips curling into a small smile. When he pecked her lips, she felt tempted to nibble at his lower lip to prolong their kiss, though she refrained herself knowing he was right. They couldn't miss their appointment - it was way too important.

"You drive me utterly mad by just breathing," she smiled, talking to him more openly than she ever had before. When he grinned, she shook her head and pulled him closer again, resting her head against his chest. She listened to the steady beating of his heart and immediately felt relaxed, smiling broadly.

"You're the most unpredictable woman I ever met," he told her softly, his hand brushing her hair lovingly. He was acting strange, she thought confused. They hadn't been this honest in a long while.

"Says the man who turn hot and cold without blinking. Seriously, you're insufferable. One moment you're acting like I'm a stranger, the other you almost jump my bones," she retorted, rolling her eyes when he gave her a curious look. "Don't turn this on me, Salvatore. It's the truth!"

"Sure, it is," he said nonchalantly, doing his famous eye thing.

"So, you did not just jump my bones after we were having a perfectly innocent conversation?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow while a smirk spread over her face.

"_Perfectly innocent _conversation, Elena? I think you're just trying to seduce me to get in my pants," he stated, shaking his head laughing.

"What if I was?" she smirked, her hands traveling up and down his chest. Her eyes were wide of mischief and she hadn't felt this good in a long, long time. Their playful banter was finally back and she felt like she could do a happy dance.

"I'd say you're doing a real good job," he agreed, nodding before taking a step back and turning around. She let out a frustrated huff, feeling the urge to throw her shoe towards his head.

"Not that good apparently," she mumbled while walking after him.

"Baby, if I hadn't been worried that something would be wrong with our little miracle, I'd be fucking you against the freaking wall right now," he assured her, laughing loudly when her face turned bright red.

"You know, you can be really cute sometimes," he grinned, pinching her cheeks like you did with a small child.

"Don't be an ass," she hissed, playfully smacking his chest.

"Thank whoever brought you into my life," he said, suddenly serious. "Because I wouldn't know what to do without you anymore." The emotion in his voice broke her heart and she could feel tears welling up. How was it possible for him to be so playful one minute and yet so incredibly sweet and honest the next?

"I wouldn't know what to do without you either," she admitted, taking his hand in hers and not letting go of it until they arrived at the car.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, they arrived at Meredith Fell's office, both still in a joyful mood after their conversation. Elena still couldn't believe it really happened and she couldn't help but give Damon longing looks. The fact that he couldn't seem to stop touching her was a good distraction from her nerves for the appointment.<p>

Their hands kept ending up tangled, like they couldn't stay away from each other for even a few seconds. It felt wonderful and tiny butterflies had erupted in her stomach, flying around widely. She felt like a love sick teen all over again instead of a mature, adult woman that was about to give birth to her first child.

"You look beautiful," Damon suddenly said, squeezing her hand while they were waiting for Dr. Fell to let them into her office. " Your skin's glowing," he smiled, looking her deeply in the eye.

"It's the pregnancy," she smiled shyly, hiding her face in the crook of his neck while their hands stayed entangled.

"It's you," he retorted, sighing contently when she nuzzled her face closer to his body. It felt too good to be true. He couldn't believe he actually let his walls down again, though he shouldn't be surprised. Elena had always been the only woman with the special gift of making him feel at ease around her. She was incredible and entirely different from all the women he'd met before her.

"Ms. Gilbert? Dr. Fell is ready to see you," the nurse said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere and breaking their perfect little cocoon of love. Damon couldn't help but think that Mrs. Salvatore would sound amazing and so much better than Ms. Gilbert. He must be ridiculous but, even after all the hurt she'd caused, he still loved her like crazy.

A few minutes later, they were sitting across Meredith's desk, "You look lovely, Elena," Dr. Fell complimented, smiling. "And that little baby bump you developed only shows just how good you're doing."

"Yes, I noticed the changes my body has been making the past weeks," Elena nodded, noticing Damon's approving smile. Oh? So he did notice?

"You'll likely notice some major changes in the feeling and appearance of your breasts by now, including darkening areolas and even the first drops of colostrum; the concentrated milk that will serve as your baby's first meal outside of the womb. Breast changes during pregnancy come in varying degrees for women, but you can count on going up at least one cup size. Be sure to invest in comfortable and supportive maternity bras to wear in the day and at night. Sleeping in your bra will help to relieve and protect your tender breasts," Meredith explained thoroughly, making sure Elena knew what she needed to know.

"That's good to know," Elena smiled knowingly, wondering if Damon noticed that her breasts were much bigger than they used to be. Damn, sex must be amazing, she thought dreamily. Quickly, she blinked her eyes and scolded herself for thinking such things during the appointment with her doctor.

"We'll do some tests now and take another ultrasound like usual," Meredith told her smiling, pointing at the dressing room. Elena nodded eagerly, anxious to see how much her little miracle had grown.

Fifteen minutes later, she was impatiently waiting for the baby to finally appear on the screen. She was used by the cold liquid by now, so the doctor didn't warn her upfront anymore. Once the baby finally appeared, Meredith started to explain a few new things. "As you can clearly see, all of the baby's organs have been fully formed for some time but they're continuing to grow in complexity. The kidneys and pancreas of a 23 week old fetus are functioning, the skin is less transparent and, if your baby is a boy, the testes have begun to descend into the scrotum. If it's a baby girl, the ovaries and vagina have formed by now, too. But one of the most impressive developments is taking place in the brain. The germinal matrix is rapidly manufacturing brain cells and bringing your baby's senses to life while forming the foundation of his personality," the doctor explained, not revealing the sex yet.

"Your fetus weighs just under a pound and is about 7 ½ inches from crown to rump, or 11 inches from crown to heel. As your baby grows longer, your caregiver may begin to measure him from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet but keep in mind that ultrasounds and physical manipulation are not exact sciences; it can be tough to determine just how long your baby is before he makes his first, live appearance. If you did have a window into your baby's underwater world, you would be able to see that his lips, eyelids and eyebrows are more pronounced this week and his tiny fingernails are complete. His skin has a fair amount of wrinkles and his slim figure is just beginning to accumulate some fat under the thin skin."

"Would you already like to know the sex?" Meredith questioned finally, after explaining the most important things to them.

Elena looked up at Damon, raising her eyebrow worriedly. They never really talked about it and she had no idea whether he wanted to know or not. "It's up to you," he told her softly. "You can decide whatever you want."

She smiled up at him, pulling their entangled hands towards her lips and pecking the back of his palm. "It'd really like to know," she said, more to Damon than to her doctor, though Meredith listened anyway.

"From what I can see now, you're baby doesn't have anything hanging between its legs," she smiled, "so it's likely to be a girl. I can't be a hundred percent sure though."

"We're having a baby girl?" Damon asked, though it was more of a statement with his voice full of emotion.

"Yes, we are," Elena nodded, smiling widely when he pecked her lips

The doctor left the two of them alone without another word, knowing all too well how happy the lovely couple must be.

* * *

><p><strong>Tada! You like it? <strong>

**Please review and let me know your thoughts!**

**Also, if you haven't checked it out yet, I started a new story. It's called Starcrossed Lovers. And I promise you, it's going to be one hell of a story! The prologue and first chapter are already published. **

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**Xoxo**


	23. Love is a verb

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine.**

* * *

><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**Chapter 22 **

**Love is a verb**

**Day 192**

"Would you like to watch a movie?" Damon questioned, once they returned back home from their appointment with Dr. Fell. Elena turned and gave him a surprised look. Before they left to see Meredith, they had been having a really interesting conversation and she thought that he would try to put distance between them again.

"Sure," she agreed, taking of her coat and hanging it on the peg before walking over the living room.

"Where are you going?" he suddenly asked, holding up two DVD's. She pointed at the one she wanted to watch before answering.

"I thought we were going to watch a movie?" she stated, looking at him confused.

"We are but not downstairs, silly. The TV in our bedroom is much better. We can't ignore such an amazing piece of technology," he told her seriously as if she was a crazy person.

"How could I forget?" Elena teased, rolling her eyes. Secretly, she was more than happy that he invited her into their bedroom. No, she hadn't missed the way he purposely said 'our' instead of 'my' bedroom. She had this strange feeling that she wouldn't be sleeping alone after the next few days.

They walked upstairs together and she could feel the tension between them growing thicker with every step she took. Their playful banter came to a halt and she noticed how Damon's eyes had darkened a few shades. He looked like a handsome devil in disguise, waiting for her to make the first move once they arrived in their bedroom.

She gave him a sly smile and hopped on the bed, stretching her arms and legs, before searching a comfortable position. Damon's eyes didn't leave her body once and he had to take a quick gulp when he noticed the way her breasts pushed up while she was stretching her arms. He would be lying if he said that he hadn't noticed the way her body was changing, her breasts looked much fuller and oh, so sexy.

It was a miracle that he hadn't given into his feelings sooner. Staying away from her had been the most difficult thing he had ever done in his entire life. Still, the time apart was needed to heal. However, right now, all he could think of were ways to get her out of her clothes as soon as possible. All intentions of watching a movie were long gone and replaced by fantasies of a bare Elena, ready to be possessed.

"You should put the disk in the DVD player and turn the television on," Elena stated, smiling wickedly because she knew she'd been able to distract him. Damn, the little minx. She was doing this on purpose!

"I'm not sure I'm still in the mood to watch a movie," he told her, crawling over to her until their bodies were entangled. He was holding her firmly in his arms, her head lying across his chest while he softly caressed the exposed flesh of her back.

"Did you ever intend to watch a movie?" she questioned curiously, raising an eyebrow while she watched him intently.

He grinned sheepishly, showing just how guilty he was before slowly moving closer, his lips hovering over hers. She gladly pressed their mouths together, her tongue darting out to lick the seam of his lips. Their kisses were lazy and erotic, full of desire they'd built for each other over the past few months. When their tongues finally touched, a wave of satisfaction went through her body and she started to tremble softly under his touch.

The slow caresses of his tongue were driving her crazy and she wanted nothing more but pull his shirt off and attack his chest with kisses, showing him all her love and gratitude she'd grow for him during their time apart. "I want to touch you," she whispered against his lips, her hands diving in his hair.

"I'm all yours, babe," he told her, no doubt in his perfect blue eyes. It made her smile and she didn't waste another minute before shedding his clothes off of his body. "Much better," she murmured in appreciation, watching him for a minute before scraping her nails down his abs, her tongue following the same pattern.

He let out a hiss when she sucked at his nipple, her tongue lazily circling around the little pebble. "Feels good?" she smiled, repeating the gesture over and over again while Damon's body started to wiggle underneath hers. Damn, he was making such sexy noises that her panties were already soaked through.

"Elena," he warned her once she started to lower his boxer briefs; the huge erect member was waiting for her

"Baby, I'm going to take good care of you," she whispered seductively, her voice hoarse and slightly higher. He let out a growl, his hands fisting the sheets underneath his body.

She slowly lowered her head, making sure he had a perfect view before licking the base of his cock and moaning at the taste. "You taste amazing," she said before engulfing his shaft down her throat, almost going all way down. She was planning on giving him the time of his life.

"God, Lena," Damon groaned, his hips pushing upwards on its own account. "Feels amazing," he praised, making her bob her head even more enthusiastically. She stroked his cock rapidly while licking his scrotum, nibbling at the soft flesh. His moans became louder with every pump of her hand and a grin spread across her features. She loved seeing him come undone underneath her touch.

When she started sucking his dick once again, Damon couldn't hold back any longer and his body started to shudder with pleasure. "Lena, I'm coming," he tried to warn her so she could pull back, though she just looked up at him and their eyes connected while she slowly took him down her throat.

It was more than enough to make him come violently; his body was shaking uncontrollably while waves of pure satisfaction went through his veins. His vision was becoming hazy, though he kept watching while his beautiful girlfriend swallowed down all of him without a problem. It was the most erotic view he'd ever seen.

"Elena!" He repeated her name over and over again, making a warm feeling spread through her body. She'd craved this moment for so long now, she could probably cry with happiness. There was nothing more perfect than watching Damon come without reservation, his body going wild underneath her touch.

"Fuck, babe. That was amazing," he smiled once he came down from his high, his eyes still clouded with pure bliss. He quickly pulled her up into his arms and kissed her deeply, savoring her unique flavor. He could still taste himself on her tongue and it was incredibly hot.

"Your stamina surely didn't decrease during our separation" Elena laughed when she felt his cock growing hard against her belly again, digging into her skin. When Damon pushed his tongue between her lips and entangled his hands in her hair, she let out a loud moan, shamelessly rubbing herself against him.

"Just like that," he mumbled when she rolled her hips against his cock, her damp panties coming into contact with his rock hard member.

When Damon pinched her nipple through the lace material of her bra, she let out a shriek and called out his name loudly. "You look beautiful like this; your cheeks flushed with passion, your breathing heavy and uneven," he whispered against her skin, nibbling at the soft flesh of the column of her neck.

"Damon," she breathed impatiently, urging him to speed up the process. He let out a laugh, lovingly caressing her cheek.

"Patience is a virtue, sweetheart," he told her slyly, before softly dipping his fingers into her moistness, making her groan. "Damn, you're so wet for me," he praised.

Without saying another word, he pushed down her panties and quickly unclasped her bra and threw them both somewhere in the darkness of the room. "Yesss," she hissed once his attention focused back on her lower body, his lean fingers softly stroking her wet pussy.

When he rubbed her clit, she screamed on top of her lungs, totally unaware of the fact that Stefan and Caroline were only a few rooms away from them. "God," she moaned, "that feels so good!"

"You can say Damon, though call me whatever you like, babe," he said smirking, pinching her clit between his thumb and his finger. She was too far gone to throw a remark at his comment and simply moaned louder, pushing her hips up and down against his hand.

He stroke her clit another few times, before pushing two fingers inside of her wet heat, stretching her pussy and preparing her for his thick cock. "More," she begged, throwing her head back against a pillow, her nails ranking Damon's back.

"Come for me, baby," Damon whispered seductively in her ear, while rubbing her clit furiously, his fingers thrusting into her at a fast pace.

"Ooooh my….." she screamed, her body shaking while her inner muscles started to contract around his fingers. Her head was spinning and her heart skipped a few beats while she was breathing hard and rushed. Pure pleasure floated through her body, taking her higher than ever before.

Before she could blink, Damon was positioning himself on top of her, his cock brushing against her inner thigh along the way. "Come home to me," she mumbled against his lips, their heads resting against each other while he slowly pushed inside of her welcoming heat. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head once he filled her, finally giving her back a piece of herself that had been missing.

"God, I missed you," he whispered against her lips, their sweaty bodies rubbing against each other at a slow pace. He was making love to her, she thought happily. This wasn't fucking, far from it. She couldn't remember a time when she was so happy.

He moved inside of her at a steady rhythm, the only sound in the room was their heavy breathing and the slapping of flesh against flesh. "I love your breasts," he moaned, nibbling at her erect nipples, earning a loud scream of pleasure.

"They're so firm and round," he mumbled against her skin, thrusting deeper into her every time he entered. "Much bigger than the last time we had sex," he went on, cupping her breasts and rolling the nipple with his fingers. "The noises you make, so damned hot, Elena," he groaned, changing the angle a little so his scrotum would rub against her clit as he pumped into her tightness.

He kept murmuring sexy things into her ear, making her body tremble. It was such a turn on to have him dirty talking with his husky masculine voice. "Faster," she urged, meeting his every thrust and digging her nails into his flesh.

He growled before complying, speeding up their pace drastically. To say that he rocked her world was a huge understatement. Once she reached her peak, her body convulsed and her breathing became erratic. She squeezed him tightly, triggering his climax while her walls milked him dry. They both came so hard, they were glad to be alive.

They shouted each other's names, their bodies exploding with pure bliss. It was the most intense feeling that Elena had ever experienced and she couldn't wait for a repeat. Her breathing was shallow and uneven once her climax started to fade away. She was lying underneath Damon's body lifelessly, her body numb and entirely wrecked.

Damon quickly moved aside and pulled her on top of his chest, kissing the top of her head before curling into a comfortable position for the both of them.

They both lie down in silence, enjoying the aftermath of their lovemaking when Elena suddenly jumped, her eyes widening. "What's wrong?" Damon asked worriedly, afraid that something happened to the baby.

Elena quickly took his hand and pushed it against her belly, her eyes wide from excitement. Damon gave her a confused look before he felt something moving against his hand and he rapidly pulled away as if he got electrocuted. "Whoa," he breathed surprised, before touching her stomach again, waiting for the baby to move.

"She's awake," Elena whispered proudly, looking at her belly with so much love that Damon's heart ached.

"Can she hear us?" he mumbled against her stomach, lying his head down on her belly so he could hear their little girl.

"According to the pregnancy book, she can recognize our voices by now and she likes to hear the sound," Elena explained, softly caressing Damon's hair as he kept listening to her stomach.

"She's going to be the most beautiful and smart girl on earth, just like her mommy," he whispered lovingly, not fully comprehending what he just said.

"She'll get all the guys attention and drive them crazy," Elena added, not commenting on what Damon told their little girl. He probably didn't even realize he implied that she was beautiful and smart as well.

"If one of them ever breaks her heart, I'll go after them and make sure they never lay a finger on her ever again," he growled possessively.

"I think she'll be the one who breaks hearts," Elena smiled dreamily. "If she has even a little bit of her father's personality, she'll be the one who makes guys turn into real saps that'll do everything for her without even blinking," she added.

"Please. Like you didn't have the same effect on me," he told her, looking her deeply in the eyes. "You know I could never resist you, not even if I tried really hard," he admitted softly, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.

"You know that I love you, right?" she suddenly whispered, afraid she said something wrong when she saw Damon's eyes widening.

"I love you too," he whispered back, while a tear left the corner of her eye. "No matter what happens, I will always love you, Elena. You can break my heart, make it shatter into pieces, but I will never stop loving you," he answered honestly, taking a deep breath once he finished his speech.

"Good god, what have I done?" she mumbled, more to herself than to him. "I am so sorry, Damon. I am so sorry you can't trust me anymore."

"That's the thing. I do trust you, Lena. I can try and fight my feelings as much as I want, but I still love you and I still have faith in you. You hurt me deeply by keeping the baby a secret, but you also made me the happiest man alive that same day by telling me I'm going to be a father," he explained, kissing her cheek softly while rubbing her baby bump.

"You're amazing, you know that?" she told him. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me and I honestly don't understand how I could let my fears come between us. You deserve everything your heart desires, Damon, and so much more."

"All I want is you and our little girl," he smiled, making more tears well up in her eyes. They cried in silence, their bodies entangled while they cherished the perfect moment of peace they shared and fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 193<strong>

The following morning, Elena went out for breakfast with Caroline. The girls needed some time to talk without anyone interrupting them, so Caroline proposed to grab food together. Since the Grill was still closed, they had to leave town to find a diner. Luckily, the next town was only a few miles away from Mystic Falls.

Elena never realized how small the town actually was until Damon decided to close the Grill for a few weeks. There were no alternatives at all: no pubs, no other taverns… it was ridiculous. In the city, you just had to turn your head and you'd find another place to have breakfast.

"Damon got you good last night, didn't he?" Caroline suddenly questioned when they stepped out of the car and walked over to the small restaurant. Damon was the one who suggested coming here. He'd been in the tavern a few times when he was younger and he still remembered how good the blueberry pancakes were.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked confused. There was no way Caroline could know what happened between the two of them the day before, could she? Elena surely hoped not, otherwise she'd feel quite embarrassed.

"Please, I could hear you from a mile away. You two definitely didn't try to hide it or anything. Sometimes I wonder if you even think of the fact that you have housemates," Caroline smiled broadly. Privacy or no privacy, she'd heard everything loud and clear.

"Oh my gosh," Elena gasped mortified, all the color leaving her cheeks. "You could hear us?"

"Of course I could hear you. Like I said, you weren't exactly keeping quiet. Stefan and I had to listen to your moaning for two hours. I thought you'd never stop," the blonde smirked, rolling her eyes at how naïve Elena actually was.

"I am so sorry, Care, if I had known," she quickly apologized, her cheeks turning bright red.

"Don't apologize on my account. Believe me, I'm glad you two finally made up on lost time. Seriously, it was only a matter of time before you'd hook up again. Although it'd be nice if you could be a little quieter next time," Caroline explained, petting Elena's shoulder.

"Good lord, you really heard everything?" Elena whispered embarrassed. However, before Caroline could answer her question, the waiter came to write down their order.

She never really had a problem with having housemates, though at the moment she was starting to doubt her decision of living together with her friends. It was nice to be so close to them, but there obviously were some problems. What would happen once the baby was born? Stefan and Caroline would be up all night because her little girl wouldn't stop screaming. It surely would bring up some discussions.

"Now, how are things going between Damon and you? You obviously have been making progress," the blonde stated, smiling wickedly.

"We have. I think we're both ready to let the past be the past and move on, or at least that's what I hope. Damon is just the most generous and loving man I ever met," Elena explained, her eyes full of love and admiration.

"I always knew things would work out between you two. It's like you're made for each other. You're a perfect match," Caroline said, thinking back to the time when she had to play cupid in order for those two to realize they were perfect together.

"Proud that you were the one who brought us together?" Elena wondered when she saw her friend's elated face, reading the blonde's mind perfectly.

"Without me, you'd probably still be avoiding the obvious attraction between the two of you," she told Elena knowingly, a grin across her face.

"Who knows? But I wouldn't be pregnant either," Elena said before she could give the words another thought. She immediately regretted them, though. She loved her baby, why did she say such thing?

"No, you wouldn't be having this little miracle inside of you stomach," her friend answered, shaking her head. "You know if you'd ever say something like that when Damon's around, he's going to kill you, right?"

"I know. That wasn't how I meant it. I'm happy that I'm going to have this baby. It's just…"

"You're still afraid?" Caroline questioned. "You have every right to be, Elena. It's normal for you to have doubts, but don't ever regret becoming pregnant. Damon won't survive it if he ever heard you saying that you don't want the baby."

"Of course I want the baby. I'd kill to make sure my precious little life would be okay," she answered confidently.

"I'm glad," Caroline answered, honestly relieved, while taking a sip of her orange juice. "So any new updates on the pregnancy?"

"Damon and I felt the baby move yesterday," she smiled widely, her hand rubbing against her baby bump.

"You did? That's wonderful. Can I feel it?" the blonde asked excitedly.

"She's asleep right now, though I'll let you know once she wakes up," Elena answered proudly.

"She?" Caroline repeated shocked, her eyes widening.

"Oh god, Damon's going to kill me. You can't tell anyone, Care. I wasn't supposed to tell you. It just… it kinda slipped," Elena quickly said, throwing her hands up in the air. How was it possible? She hadn't know the gender for more than a day and she'd already revealed the secret to someone.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," the blonde promised. "So, a girl," she smiled, her eyes shining brightly.

"Yep, a girl," Elena repeated proudly, remembering the ultrasound.

"Damon's going to spoil her rotten," Caroline stated without a doubt.

"I'm sure he will," she agreed, nodding. "He already keeps complementing her. Last night, he kept talking to my belly for over half an hour to tell her just how beautiful she was," Elena smiled, sighing softly. "He's going to make one hell of a dad," she predicted, convinced.

* * *

><p>That afternoon, Elena decided to take a nap. She had been feeling fatigued the entire day. The doctor had warned her that she'd feel tired the next couple weeks and that rest would be very important. However, her late night activities weren't helping the problem, either.<p>

"Lena, are you still asleep?" Damon questioned, softly knocking on the door.

"You can come in," she yawned, slowly sitting up and stretching her arms above her head. Her back was killing her, even though she hadn't gained that much weight. Meredith had told her that it was normal for her back muscles to ache during the pregnancy, but she didn't expect to have those complaints this soon.

Damon carefully opened the door and stepped inside. He looked incredibly handsome today. He was wearing a black, buttoned up shirt and jeans that hung low on his hips. Elena still couldn't believe he was actually hers, the father of her baby. She would never get used to the idea of him loving her.

"Jenna came around earlier, she had been reading a few pregnancy books again and she told me you should eat healthier and drink lots of water," Damon explained, rolling his eyes in the process. "That woman is obsessed," he added smirking.

"She means well, though she can be a little… pushy sometimes," Elena nodded, slowly throwing her legs out of the bed and standing up.

"You sure you had enough rest?" Damon asked cautiously, taking a few steps closer to her.

"You mean after our rough night of sex? The one I apparently screamed so hard during that everyone seemed to have heard me?" Elena questioned smiling.

Damon grinned widely, pulling her in his arms. "We were awesome together," he told her, planting a soft kiss on top of her temple.

"Do you think everything's going to work out?" she asked cautiously, a frown of worry appearing across her face.

"I don't know, Elena. We'll never be sure, but it's worth a try, right?" he answered softly, taking her face in both his hands so she would look up into his ocean eyes.

"I want things to work between us," she told him honestly. "I know I messed up and I know were still not entirely okay, but we will be… someday."

"I don't know what the future holds, but I know I want to be with you, even after everything that happened. It won't be easy and we will both make mistakes, but in the end we will be together and that's what counts. We will be a real family together with our little girl."

"I don't deserve you," she said softly, a tear rolling down her cheek. "How can you be so sweet and forgiving after everything that happened?" The words were nothing but a soft whisper, merely inaudible, though he heard her loud and clear.

"You want me to be mad?" he questioned, surprised.

"No, I just don't get it. I thought you'd stay furious at me for ages, pick a fight, or at least yell at me. You haven't done any of that," she explained, honestly confused.

"It's because I accepted that you made a mistake and moved on. At first I was so angry, I just couldn't bear to see you. That's why I stayed away, but when Ric told me about the complications you were having… All I could think of was how much I'd missed you and that I could've easily ruined everything by staying away. I could've lost both you and the baby that night, Elena. I would've never forgiven myself if anything had happened," he told her, shaking his head furiously, as if reliving those hours of terror.

"After that, I knew I wanted to save our relationship, no matter what happened. Although I needed time, I couldn't just come back to you without thinking things through. I needed to see things your way before I'd ever be able to forgive you. Alaric and I talked about it occasionally, though I still held a grudge at first. Eventually, he recommended that I go see a therapist about it. He knew someone that would be able to help me out and I actually took him upon his offer. I went to see the guy about three times I think, the last time was before I went to our first appointment with Dr. Fell."

"What?" Elena asked shocked, her eyes nearly popping out of her head. "I had no idea," she murmured, utterly confused.

"No one but Alaric knew and I might have told him that I'd come after him if he dared to tell anyone about it," Damon admitted, his lips curving into a soft smile.

"Wow… I don't know what to say," Elena answered honestly, tears rolling down her cheeks freely. She didn't even bother to hide them.

Damon wiped her eyes carefully before pecking her lips in the sweetest way possible. "You don't have to say anything," he told her softly. "I just wanted you to know," he added, pulling her tightly in his arms.

"Do you think it would be best for us to take a few sessions with that therapist of yours together? I mean, like relationship therapy?" she asked him interested. Who knows, maybe it would be good for their relationship so they could talk more openly.

"It definitely wouldn't be a bad thing," Damon agreed, a little surprised by her proposition. "Do you want me to make a double appointment?"

"I'd like that, yes," she smiled, letting out a deep breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"That's good, really good," Damon mumbled before pulling her into a passionate kiss.

* * *

><p><strong>First of all, I'm sorry for the longish AN, I just had a lot to say, lol. <strong>

**More progress! As you can see, this story is slowly coming to its end. I know, I know, it's so sad! I'm going to miss it. I loved writing UV. Although I won't prolong the story when it's not necessary. There are two chapters left after this one and an epilogue. There won't be a sequel, I don't see why I would write one when I think this story has a nice ending (Curious? Review!). **

**Now, a very important question, is there anyone that would be interested in being my new beta reader? My old one doesn't have the time anymore, so I'm searching for someone new. For the moment, I found someone who wants to help me out until I found a new beta, but I need someone that wants to work for me permanently. If you're interested, feel free to leave me a PM or tell me in your review.**

**Please leave me a review and tell me what you thought of the chapter! **

**PS1. Don't forget to check out Starcrossed Lovers, my new story.**

****PS2. I'm leaving to go on a holiday next weekend and I won't be back until August, so the next update can take a little while longer. Although I try to keep the wait as short as possible. I update quite regularly, so I don't think you've got anything to complain about. Most authors take much longer before they update. ****

**Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94**

**Xoxo**


	24. Moving forward

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine.**

**Thank you to Carol for beta reading the chapter and to Mirna for pre-reading!**

* * *

><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**Chapter 23 **

**Moving forward**

**Day 207**

Today the Grill would finally be reopened. Most of the town's inhabitants would be coming to the reception. Damon was nervous as hell to see what people would think of it. He almost couldn't wait to open the doors for their first clients…_ his_ first clients. He still couldn't believe his dream was finally coming true. He was becoming the owner of his own restaurant.

It had been a long and bumpy ride to get where he was standing today. He was secretly proud of himself for becoming the man he is today. His youth hadn't been easy. He had his fair share of problems over the years, though he obviously found a way out of that mess and became a strong and confident individual. Not even his father's disappointment in him and his words of disapproval had brought him down. That had been exactly what the old man had hoped for. Giuseppe never wanted either of his sons to be happy.

He was the most proud of his relationship with Elena. Even after all the trouble he had endured with the girl of his dreams, they still worked out their issues. They'd gone to several therapy sessions together over the past two weeks. They had made lots of progress. Talking openly about their issues seemed to work and he finally started to see what Elena's motives had been for not telling him the truth about the baby.

He also figured out that she would have told him eventually, even if she didn't know it herself. She would never have been able to live with the constant doubts about her decision. They were closer now than ever. He could easily imagine them growing old together. It was surreal. In reality, he actually only knew her for about seven months, it felt as if they had been together for years instead of months.

"Babe, can you help me out for a minute?" Elena asked him, bringing him back from his inner thoughts. He quickly nodded and walked over to her. Together with Alaric, Jenna, Caroline and Stefan; the two of them had been preparing the reception for tonight. Stefan, Ric and he had prepared the snacks together, while the ladies decorated the place and poured glass of champagne and orange juice. Everything was almost done, though Elena was struggling to get the last bottle of champagne open.

"Shouldn't you be resting, missy?" he questioned, taking the bottle out of her hands and giving her a pointing look. Elena was still as stubborn as always, she just wasn't someone who could sit down and watch people work around her. She'd feel guilty if she didn't help.

"I'm not going to stay in bed on your big day. Besides, who's going to play for hostess? It wouldn't feel right if you let Caroline or Jenna work for you tonight," she remarked, slightly pouting. She knew he couldn't resist her once she put on her 'cute' face as he liked to call it.

"Are you going to challenge me for the rest of my life?" he asked, though it sounded more like a statement. The fire inside of her, the passion and life, had been exactly what attracted him to her in the first place. She would never back down from a discussion; she challenged him every single day. He would be lying if he said that he didn't like it. As a matter of fact, he loved it. She made him feel happier than he ever was before.

"I'm planning on it," she winked before quickly pecking his lips. "I'm going to change my outfit," she added, though she didn't even have the time to turn around before he pulled her into his arms.

"Change?" he questioned confused. She was wearing her usual pregnancy clothing, nothing special, though certainly decent enough for the reception.

"Yup, I brought my velvet black pregnancy dress to look as a professional hostess," she explained, her eyes glowing and full of mischief. He shook his head and laughed loudly, pulling her in his arms again.

"You didn't even know I was going to let you be my hostess!" he exclaimed, shaking his head once again before pecking her lips softly. "Damn you, Gilbert, always two steps ahead of me." That was exactly what he loved so much about her; she still surprised him every single day. He would never get tired of having her around.

"Well, we all know you can't resist my charm, I better put it to good use," she smirked.

"My bad influence must be rubbing of on you, cause I don't remember you being so confident or having such a huge ego when you arrived at the boarding house all those months ago," he scolded. His eyes widened, as another unexpected answer came from his girlfriend. You wonder why he loved her that much?

"Babe, nothing can compare to your gigantic ego so don't worry," she winked, looking at him innocently before turning on her heels and walking towards the bathroom to change clothes. He simply shook his head again, laughing softly while he watched her go.

Damon kept staring after her, once again shocked by her behavior. He was still getting used to the more bolt and happy Elena. She changed quite a bit as well over the past months and it was a very positive change. He'd never had seen her smiling as often as she did now. She looked happier than he ever thought possible and it wasn't just the pregnancy.

There had been a time he actually felt like their relationship wouldn't be able to survive, a time he had been afraid that he was slowly losing her. They went through some pretty difficult stuff these past months. Their relationship had been rough and totally out of control. Although even after all of that, they found a way back to each other. He couldn't have been happier than the moment he started to see light on the end of the dark tunnel.

"Man, you are so whipped," Alaric suddenly remarked, standing beside him. Damon gave his best friend a dirty look before shaking his head and looking back into the direction where Elena had disappeared. He would never be able to thank his friend enough for what he did during the past months. Alaric had been the only reliable support he had. Stefan would never keep his mouth shut to Caroline. Ric helped him out and talked to him on the darkest days of his existence. He would never be able to pay him back for that.

"You're one to speak," he fired back, pointing at Jenna who was currently gossiping with his almost sister-in-law. Caroline and Stefan had finally set a date. They would be marrying next year in June. He had no idea why they would want to wait that long, but then again, he never really understood his baby bro and Blondie. Their relationship always had been going at a slow pace. Damon on the other hand seemed to like to rush things. He hadn't known Elena for much more than a month at the time he got her pregnant.

"True, but I didn't keep laughing with my best friend and telling him I would never listen to a woman. No one would get me wrapped around their little finger," Alaric stated smirking, repeating the words Damon once told him. He grinned at his friend before releasing a deep breath.

"You are enjoying this far too much," Damon said, shaking his head. "And Elena does not have me wrapped around her little finger," he added confidently. Who was he kidding; of course she had, though he wasn't planning on admitting that out loud.

"Sure, if that's what helps you sleep at night," Alaric agreed, nodding. Damon gave him a warning look before walking back to the kitchen to make sure everything was set for the reception.

* * *

><p>Three hours later the liquor was flowing nicely and all the guests were enjoying themselves rather well. Everyone got a few snacks and glasses of champagne to keep the mood cozy and comfortable. Everything was going perfectly fine. Damon was finally able to relax. He hadn't known how nervous he was until people actually started to compliment him about the way he had changed the grill.<p>

He had been terrified to hear the reactions, though his worries apparently had been for nothing. Most guests seemed to love the new decorations. They kept telling him how happy they were that he was planning to turn the Grill into a real restaurant instead of a crappy small town bar. He couldn't help but keep that smile on his face. His cheeks a were already hurting from the constant grin across his face.

"Should I be jealous? You keep smiling at all those lovely ladies," Elena suddenly remarked from behind him. He had been so far gone, he didn't even realize she was standing so close to him. They had greeted their guests together as the most perfect hosts. Elena had made quite the impression on some of them. Her bright smile and caring character had made most guests feel comfortable around her instantly. The two of them hadn't had much time to talk to each other because Elena kept having admirers to keep her company.

He probably would have been jealous if she hadn't been showing her pregnancy belly so proudly to all of them. She was making clear she was taken. She looked lovely in her black velvet dress. It fit perfectly around her curves. She outshines every single woman in the room, at least in his opinion. "You have nothing to worry about," he smirked, pulling her in his arms. "You're the only woman I will ever come home to," he assured her softly, pecking her lips affectionately before pulling her towards the dance floor.

"What exactly are we doing?" she mumbled confused, keeping up appearances by smiling at the guests even if she was clearly uncomfortable. They had created a dance floor in the middle of the Grill as soft music was playing through the room. No one seemed to be interested in dancing though. Most of the guests were simply talking to each other while drinking champagne and testing out the food.

"What does it look like, Lena?" he retorted playfully. "I like this song and we should entertain our guests," he added smiling, before pulling her in his arms and starting to waltz. She had no idea he knew how to dance, but quickly noticed he did not only know how to move, but was actually doing a great job.

The surprised look on her face made him smirk. "What's wrong, Lena, were you doubting my dancing skills?" he taunted, before spinning her around and pulling her back. In the meantime people started to surround them, following their lead and starting to dance.

"You never told me you could dance like this," she accused, brushing her lips against his quickly before he started to spin her around again.

"I've got moves you've never seen," he smirked before pulling her close towards him, his chin resting on top of her head. They danced together for a long time and Elena honestly didn't know how long they'd been moving against each other before her feet started to hurt. Damon lead her back to the side of the restaurant where she could sit down for a moment. The time seemed to fly by, it was already far past midnight.

"You should go home, you look tired," Damon told her, his voice filled with concern. She knew he was still cautious and worried that something would suddenly go wrong and they would lose the baby. He didn't often talk about it, though she knew that deep down he was terrified that their little girl would end up hurt.

"I'm fine. I'm sure that waiting for you until the last guests leave won't do any harm. I'll even keep sitting down until we can go home together," she proposed, her hand brushing his cheek softly. He was tense, she noticed, his smile tight and body strained.

"Lena, don't press our luck. You know I would never forgive myself if something happened to you or the baby. I've worn you out by dancing all night, I should've been more careful. You look like you could fall asleep any minute," he said, regret and worry clear in his voice. She thought it was cute he was being overprotective, though he was clearly not feeling well at the moment. She felt the need to reassure him that there was nothing to worry about.

"I feel fine, Damon, honestly. I wouldn't lie to you, but if it makes you feel better, I'll ask Caroline to drive me home," she explained, giving in to him. She knew now was not the time to start a fight. Damon had been in a great mood all day and she didn't want to be the reason for him to feel down. She loved seeing that huge smile across his lips and wouldn't want it to falter even a little.

"You do know that I would have never been able to make this happen without you, right?" he suddenly said, surprising her by the change of subject. Although as soon as the words left his lips, a huge grin spread across her face and she blushed shyly.

"Yes, you would have! You can make everything happen if you want it to," she told him confidently, squeezing his hand in hers. He was amazing, she thought dreamily; so incredibly beautiful and successful, yet so modest and sweet. He would never admit any of that out loud, though she knew that on the inside he felt insecure about himself. His father had commented and criticized his behavior far too often for Damon to stay unharmed. Giuseppe had done a masterful job on his eldest son, making him feel less about himself for no reason.

"No, I wouldn't, Elena. You bring out the best in me; you give me strength and keep me going. I would be nothing without you," he told her seriously, his eyes not leaving hers for even a second. It didn't matter if it was the cheesiest thing he ever said in his life or not, he meant every word of it.

"You give yourself not enough credit," she told him smiling. "I might make you smile from time to time, but I also brought you lots of hurt and pain," she reminded him, fully aware of everything that had happened in the past between them. He might have forgiven her for lying and keeping the baby a secret, though it didn't decrease the regret she felt. She made a pretty big mistake and there wouldn't be a day she didn't think about how much hurt she unintentionally brought to him.

"That's because I love you so much, Lena. You can make me feel the happiest I've ever been, but you can also make me hurt worse than anyone else. You're my weakness and strength at the same time; you can be either the worst thing that happened to me or the best."

His words brought tears to her eyes and she couldn't keep them from rolling down her cheeks. The crowd that surrounded them was long forgotten and she felt as if they were the only two people in the room. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close against his chest, hiding her, protecting her.

She was grateful every single day she woke up and realized he was hers, he meant the world to her and she wouldn't be able to survive without him. She never thought love could be this intoxicating, this deep and strong. He changed her life drastically and she would never be able to thank him enough for being there for her, for being _hers_.

* * *

><p>After the reception at the Grill, Damon came home to her late that night. She hadn't been able to sleep for even a minute without him by her side. He'd quickly taken of his clothes and came to bed, cuddling close to her. Since the day they found out the baby would be a little girl, she'd moved back into their bed room.<p>

He was out like a light within a minute, probably exhausted from the long day and sleepless nights. She knew he had been nervous for today, though he did a brilliant job. All inhabitants loved his new concept for the Grill. She never doubted him for a second, though she knew he had been scared that people wouldn't like the fact that he was changing their local pub into an Italian restaurant.

She was proud of her boyfriend, incredibly proud even. He'd come so far even after everything he had been through during his youth. She'd never realized how lucky she had been to have a loving mother until she heard Damon's sad family history. Her mother might have kept secrets, lied to her from time to time. and couldn't stay away from alcohol. But through it she knew Miranda had loved her daughter deeply and tried her best to give Elena a nice childhood.

The fact that Miranda couldn't get over the death of her husband, had been hard on her family. Elena had been Miranda's sole reason to stay alive. The depression after Grayson passed away would have killed her if Elena hadn't been there. It had been tough, but the both of them survived with the support of being there for each other.

Elena had more than one nice memory of her past although there were just as much bad ones. The few times her mother had been sober, they often went to the park for a walk and eat one of those awful hotdogs together. They would keep some of the bread and would feed the ducks and swans at the small lake in the middle of the park then watch the animals for hours. It had been their little thing, the moments they bonded.

All of that made her even more grateful to have Damon around. She could only imagine how her mother must have felt once Grayson passed away. She couldn't bear the thought of ever losing him. He meant the world to her and she couldn't wait until they would be a little family, together with their daughter.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 210<strong>

Together with her aunt Jenna, Elena went shopping during the afternoon. They made arrangements to go find baby stuff, they still had a few months' time before Elena was due, though they wanted to make sure they got everything in time. You never know what might happen.

"Elena, look at this camisole, it's so cute!" Jenna exclaimed, smiling brightly while holding up a pink piece of clothing. She and Damon had eventually decided to tell everyone about the gender, with Caroline knowing the truth, it wouldn't have taken much longer anyway. There was no way the blonde would be able to keep her mouth shut for much longer than a few days at most.

"Aw, that looks beautiful," Elena agreed, taking the camisole out of Jenna's hand and giving it a closer look. So far, they already had two bags filled with baby stuff; their shopping trip definitely had been productive.

"Do you want to come over for dinner later?" Elena questioned once they got back to the car. "Damon surely wouldn't mind hanging out with his buddy, while we chat."

"Of course, I'm sure Alaric would love that. He still can't believe we're actually related without realizing it sooner," she added, a proud and bright smile across her features.

"I'm glad we figured it out. I'm honestly happy that you came into my life. It's like I got a part of my mother back, you've always reminded me so much about her, even before we found out she was your sister," Elena explained, petting Jenna on the shoulder before stepping into the car.

"I had no idea Miranda and I were so much alike," Jenna said softly, her voice filled with emotion when she sat down on the passenger side. The fact that she missed her sister during her youth had been hard on her, though she never really got the chance to get to know Miranda well. She had been too young at the time they separated.

"You are. You're both loving and caring women that love unconditionally, often overlooking people's weaknesses but searching for endearing qualities in people." Elena smiled, looking at her aunt lovingly. "Miranda might have been a wreck half of the time we spent together, though the other part of the time she was a great mother."

You once told me she passed away from cancer, was she happy? I mean, at the time she… she…"

"Yes, she was happy. She might never have gotten over the death of my father, but she was happy. She fought every single day to keep surviving, though the cancer got the best of her. She didn't stand a chance. The tumor was far too big when they discovered it and it was already starting to disseminate. She died not even two months after they discovered the cancer. It had been already too late at the time to even start a chemo cure," she explained softly. It had been tough and at the time, Elena hadn't known what to do once her mother would be gone. It had broken her heart to see her mother weakening, to see her slowly slip away from her grip and disappear into the unknown.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Elena. If I had known, I would've taken care of you," Jenna apologized, regret spreading across her features.

"You don't have anything to apologize for. Like you said, you had no idea what was happening at the time, you can't be held responsible," Elena assured her aunt, taking Jenna's hand in hers and squeezing it affectionately.

* * *

><p>"Damon! Damon, we're back!" Elena called out once she pushed the front door of the boarding house open and put the shopping bags down. After she invited Jenna over for dinner, she'd given Damon a call to ask him if he could arrange some delicious food for their friends. He'd immediately agreed and seemed to be positively surprised she asked Alaric to come over as well.<p>

He wasn't used to people that cared about his opinion. She suspected that his former girlfriend, the one that broke his heart, never took into account what he thought or made sure he was happy as well. She seemed to be rather selfish.

"Look at what we bought," she said excitedly once he appeared in the living room, still wearing his apron that read 'Kiss the Cook'. She showed him the little pink camisole and he immediately started smiling at her. "Doesn't it look super cute?" she added in adoration.

"It does," he agreed before pulling Elena into a hug and pecking her lips, completely oblivious to Jenna who was standing behind her.

The woman coughed deliberately, making them finally break apart. "Sorry," Elena mumbled, looking over her shoulder to watch Jenna.

"She's just jealous because Alaric isn't as sweet and affectionate anymore. He only jumps her bones when he's looking for something more," Damon smirked, winking at Jenna.

"Damon!" Elena scolded, giving him a dangerous look. "Don't be an ass!"

"You love my ass, baby, no reason to deny it," he winked before walking back to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner.

"The two of you are adorable together," Jenna mused once Damon was out of earshot. "Things seem to be going awfully well," she noted, clearly surprised. "I already noticed the change when you two were dancing together at the reception."

"We went to a few relationship therapy sessions together, it has clearly made us stronger as a couple, we've never been this close," Elena explained smiling.

"You convinced Damon to go to a therapist?" Jenna questioned shocked, her mouth agape.

"No, actually he was the one who convinced me. He had been going to a shrink for a few weeks now, to figure out what he wanted in our relationship and how to forgive me," Elena answered smiling, proud of her boyfriend.

"Wow," was the only answer that left Jenna's lips, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yeah, I was surprised as well, though things are going quite well lately. We're through the hardest part, though we still have a long way to go. We'll have to work on our relationship, though I do believe there's a high chance that everything will turn out just fine."

"I'm relieved; honestly, I would hate it to see either of you unhappy. You're good together, you complete each other," Jenna said smiling, before pulling Elena into a tight hug.

* * *

><p>The dinner had gone quite well and Damon was happy to see that his friends seemed to enjoy his food. He'd made a simple spaghetti, there wasn't anything else he could prepare on such a short notice, though no one seemed to mind.<p>

It was nice to have Alaric and Jenna over for dinner, it had been a while. They used to have dinner together all the time, though that had stopped once Elena and he got into their huge fight. The Friday night dinner's hadn't continued, they came to an end as soon as Elena moved out of the boarding house.

He was glad that was in the past now and they were all moving forward. It had been a tough ride, but in the end, everything turned out for the better. He was happier than he had been in a very long time may be happier than he had ever been. "You two look good together. I guess Elijah was able to help you two out," Alaric smiled, referring to their therapist.

"He surely helped me to move passed my anger and disappointment," Damon agreed, nodding. Alaric and he were sitting in the living room, watching the fire and discussing stuff. The women were doing the dishes; he'd proposed to help them, though Elena insisted Jenna and she would take care of it because he already prepared the food.

"It's good to see you this happy, to be honest, I've always thought you'd stay single till the end of your days," Alaric said truthfully.

"You're not the only one," Damon admitted. "I didn't think I'd ever trust a woman enough to let her come close to me, not after what Katherine put me through." The bitch certainly had left a lasting impression on him. She didn't only break his heart, but made him feel like the biggest idiot on earth when she fucked his best friend. Mason and he had been inseparable in high school, still stayed close when the guy went to college and when he moved to Mystic Falls, though Katherine broke that friendship.

She thought it would be interesting to see how long it would take her before she would get his buddy into her bed. In reality, Mason had been a scumbag without a backbone. Loyal was a word he did not understand and Katherine only had to blink her eyes before he followed her like a lost puppy. To say Damon had been hurt was an understatement. Besides Stefan, they had been the only two people he trusted and cared about. They tore him apart. They'd acted like he was a nobody. Katherine even accused him of being a poor bastard that would never find a woman that wanted him once they noticed his empty bank account.

He'd honestly believed her at the time and thought he would indeed mean nothing to women as long as he didn't have money. The fact that all the women that came after her only used him as a sex toy hadn't really helped to change his mind or caused him to reconsider his opinion. Not long after that he met Alaric and his buddy tried to get him to move past his issues, though it hadn't been an easy job.

"I know, which is why I'm so surprised Elena has wrapped you around her finger so easily. Seriously man, you're whipped," Alaric laughed, stretching his legs comfortably on the coffee table. Jenna would probably kill him if she'd see him putting his feet on his friend's furniture, though luckily she wasn't around.

"So, how's married life?" Damon suddenly questioned, looking up at his friend, honestly interested.

"Good. Really good. Jenna and I are doing great lately; we even talked about having kids. Now she's witnessing a pregnancy from so close, she wants a baby of her own even more than before. I always tried to talk her out of it, though I'm actually considering it this time," Alaric answered smiling, thinking about his wife.

"You shouldn't think about it twice, it's amazing when you see the first ultrasound of your child," Damon mused, grinning like an idiot.

"So, when are you going to propose?" the teacher asked bluntly. Damon looked up at him in surprise, though not half as shocked as he should be. "You've thought about it," Alaric stated when he saw his friends face.

"I have," Damon agreed. "Although, I can't help but think it's too soon. I mean, we haven't known each other that long," he added as an afterthought.

"It's simple, do you love her? Can you still imagine a life without her?" the teacher questioned, after being met with silence he went on: "Don't worry about what other people will think just follow your heart."

"Damn Ric, when did you become this smart?" Damon joked, trying to lighten up the mood. He never had been one to like an honest and serious conversation, though lately he seemed to be having them all the time.

"What are you afraid of?" Alaric asked, knowing his friend well enough to see through the façade. There was more going on than Damon let on. The brick wall his buddy created around his heart, as a safety net, was difficult to get past, but so worth it once you got to know the real Damon Salvatore.

"What if she isn't ready? How can I know for sure she will say 'yes'?" The typical fear of a man that was about to propose showing at the surface. He just didn't want to be turned down. He was afraid that Elena would tell him 'no' and that he would make a fool out of himself for considering marriage.

"You don't. There's only one way to know for sure, ask her," Alaric advised, patting his friend on the shoulder.

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><p><strong>Tada! Another chapter! Damn, we're coming REALLY close to the ending, it's almost scary. Seriously, I'm going to miss this story. <strong>

**I know it's been a while since the last update due to my holiday, though I'm afraid it won't get any better. I usually write ahead so once I update a chapter, I send the next one to my beta. However, I'm having issues with writing the next chapter. It will be the last one before the epilogue and I want it to be perfect. After writing many scenes and deleting them again, I'm kinda stuck. Hopefully my inspiration for this story will come back now I'm home again. **

**I will try to get the next chapter for this story done soon, but no promises. Pushing my muse is never a good idea. **In the mean time I will keep updating my new story 'Starcrossed Lovers'. ****

**Please leave me a review and tell me what you think! It's very much appreciated!**

**Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94**

**Xoxo**


	25. Forever and after

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine. Don't be a thief. **

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**Chapter 24 **

**Forever and after **

**Day 250**

Exactly six months after their fight, Damon and Elena returned to the that beautiful place where everything began for them. They returned to the beach house. It was at this magical place where Damon first told Elena that he loved her. He couldn't help but think that this would be the most perfect place to ask her _the question_. He couldn't imagine a more perfect place.

He'd asked Caroline for the phone number of the lady who owned the little cottage. All the arrangements were finalized with a quick phone call to the woman. He wanted to surprise Elena. He wanted to give her an escape from reality for just a few days. Soon they would have their beautiful baby screaming at the top of her lungs. Elena was due at the end of June which meant they only had a precious few weeks before their little miracle would be born. As excited as he was for the big event, he really wanted them to be able to thoroughly enjoy these last few weeks, just the two of them.

Their daughter's birth would be a life changing experience for both of them. To be honest, He was a little scared of what the future would bring. He desperately wanted to be a good father. He had no idea how to do that. His father certainly provided no role model for him. Becoming a parent is no easy task. This is one job that he truly wanted to excel in. The idea of failure still played heavily on his mind. Elena never failed to tell him that he'd make a wonderful dad, yet he still felt insecure and anxious.

Their therapist told him it's okay to be afraid. He informed us that this fear is natural for all first time parents. It was completely normal for soon-to-be fathers to worry and doubt their parental capabilities. The most important thing was for he and Elena to work together as a team, not two individuals sharing the same household.

Their relationship sessions really benefitted them. The progress they'd made over the past few weeks was remarkable. He trusted her to make her own decisions. She relied on him and had complete faith in his judgment. They didn't fight often. The few times they did, they usually ended up having makeup sex just a few hours later. He found himself unable to stay mad at her for more than a few hours.

"Lena, I have a surprise" he called out as he was running up the stairs. Elena had been napping on their bed. The past few months had been so exhausting for her. She needed all the rest she could get. The doctor frequently recommended she needed to rest as much as possible. Miraculously, Elena actually followed her advice. She usually had difficulty following orders due to her stubborn streak but she'd do anything to keep their daughter safe and sound in her womb.

As he walked into their bedroom, he noticed Elena just getting up while rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Hi Baby," he smiled before joining her at the bedside. He pulled her closer, resting her head on his chest. She wrapped her arms tightly around his magnificent abs.

She slowly lifted her head and placed a few sweet pecks on his lips. "Hi," she smiled while yawning deeply. She looked so adorable when her cheeks were slightly flushed. Elena narrowed her eyes, "where's my surprise?" she asked when she was fully awake though her eyes still looked a bit sleepy.

"Your surprise is a mere six hours away. It's located near that beautiful shore that borders the aquamarine colored ocean," he winked as his hands traveled slowly up and down her spine. He just couldn't help himself when it came to touching and caressing her. She was just too damn beautiful. He was always touching her whether it was just holding hands or stroking her upper leg while they were having dinner.

She never looked more beautiful than she has during her pregnancy. It was true what they say about pregnant women and their glow. She was radiant. Her breasts were round and full. Her baby bump protruding proudly from her tummy. She was proud to show everyone that she was having Damon Salvatore's baby. She's just so perfect and she's totally _his_.

"Six hours.. hmm...Wait. No, that can't be true," she mumbled while shaking her head. Her eyes widened in disbelief before she suddenly sat up. A look of awe crossed her features. "Oh god, you're taking me to the beach house right?" She exclaimed as her eyes grew wide with joy.

"I am," he nodded before pulling her in for a kiss. Their lips met passionately. Their tongues danced in perfect union. In that moment, everything was right with the world. Nothing else mattered except the two of them. Their journey was unexpected and difficult at times but in the end, he had never known this degree of happiness.

There was a time he had lost faith in her and in their relationship. They'd had huge fights and disagreements. Though, through it all, he still loved her. He would never love another woman. Elena was his life source, his reason to live. She was perfect for him. He didn't care if it sounded cheesy and melodramatic. She loved him and as long as he had that, he didn't give a fuck about what others thought.

Every time she stared at him with those beautiful brown doe eyes, he felt like he was the most precious thing in her world too. Those eyes would make his heart melt and his blood surge through his veins. She him feel all the things he thought himself incapable of feeling. She made him look at life through a whole new prism. She made him want to be the better man. He wanted to be someone she could be proud of and simply couldn't wait to share his life with her.

The thought of waking up next to the same woman for the rest of his existence wasn't nearly as daunting as it once was. In all honesty, he didn't think he could ever tire of spending time with_ his_ girl. She was irresistible and special in every way imaginable. It might have taken him time to reach his epiphany, but when it came, he realized Elena was what he had wanted and needed all along. Nothing mattered as long as she was at his side, and she knew how much he was in love with her.

With Elena by his side. He felt stronger than ever. He felt he could conquer the world. Buying and renovating the grill into a restaurant was just the beginning. He was no longer going to wallow in self-pity. His youth is what it is but he wasn't going to brood about it anymore. His new mission in life would to make his girls proud of him every day. He never wanted a day to pass when he didn't see those perfect smiles on their faces.

"That's wonderful," Elena sighed happily once their lips finally broke apart. She was breathing heavily now. Her breaths were short and erratic. It took her a few seconds to calm down. "Why would you do that?" she asked after a few moments of silence, their gazes still locked. He couldn't tell her the entire truth. He had no other option but to dodge the question.

"I thought you could use some quality time with your super-hot, irresistibly handsome boyfriend," he smirked as he did his eye thing that never failed to make her swoon. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, a soft giggle erupting from her lips. The sound made him smile a little himself.

"You're insufferable," she smiled, softly brushing his cheek while bringing their lips together for a soft and feathery kiss. Their mouths collided but it ended far too soon.

"You love it," he remarked, his breath tingling against her cheek as their lips parted. She usually would throw out another remark, though she couldn't help but feel the need to say something sweet instead.

"I love you," she agreed looking so confident, he was sure his heart skipped a beat. There were still times when he felt some insecurity about their relationship. He used to doubt her for feelings for him. He used to think she didn't feel even half of what he felt for her. In times like these, the notion now seemed ridiculous. Moments like these reassured him that she did indeed feel the same.

"I love you too, beautiful. I wouldn't have a clue what to do if you weren't around," he told her honestly. The coupling sessions surely helped. The improvements were undeniable. A year ago, he would've said you'd gone mad if someone told him he'd say anything like that to a woman.

"So charming...who are you and what have you done to Damon Salvatore?" Elena teased, poking his ribs. She did not just do that! He gave her a warning glare before attacking her stomach and tickling her till she begged him to stop.

"Urgh! You can be so annoying sometimes!" she exclaimed throwing her hands up in the air and kicking her feet like a toddler once he let her go.

"I had to prove I was still Damon Salvatore, right?" he remarked with a raised eyebrow. "I think my mission succeeded." The coy look he gave her made Elena's blood boil in frustration and annoyance.

"You think?" she retorted. shaking her head in disbelief. "You ruined our perfectly romantic moment!" Elena accused with her best "looks could kill" glare. He loved her passion. He didn't mind getting burned by her.

"What? Me?" he stated feigning innocence, "You're the one with the smartass comments," he added smirking.

"Shut the fuck up and kiss me," she demanded while crawling on top of his body. She adjusted her legs so she was straddling him. He could feel her warm core press deliciously against him causing him to emit a soft hiss.

"Since when does Elena Gilbert swear?" he questioned playfully. He quickly shut his mouth once she started to unbutton her shirt. She threw it all the way across the room. Damn her, she wasn't wearing anything underneath. Her rosy peaks were already standing up proudly ready for him to devour. Without another thought he moved closer, his arms sliding around her small frame as his mouth encircled her soft flesh. His tongue lavishing her nipple.

His little ministration earned him a moan coming from her perfect lips. Elena threw her head back, violently shuddering against his chest as he teased her breasts. "More," she whispered between moans and more was exactly what he gave her.

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><p><strong>Day 251<strong>

The next day the happy couple was getting ready to leave for their romantic weekend. He'd been able to convince Jenna and Caroline to help him out in his quest to set up the perfect date. While Elena and he would be driving towards the beach house, the girls would be preparing food and decorating the cottage. He'd bought hundreds of candles, heart shaped bath pearls, and crimson red roses. The most important thing he purchased was the beautiful diamond engagement ring that was currently burning a hole in his pocket.

He was so excited to finally ask Elena the big question, though he was also nervous as hell to hear her answer. Both Jenna and Caroline were convinced that she wouldn't turn him down. He wouldn't feel reassured until he heard the perfect little 'yes' coming from her lips. After all, when Elena was involved he never knew what to expect.

"Can we stop at the next gas station? The baby is pressing against my bladder again," Elena questioned, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. It would already be the third time he'd had to halt because she needed to pee. He didn't comment. After all, it wasn't her fault.

"It's still three miles away, are you sure you can wait that long or should I pull over to the side of the road?" he asked concerned, knowing she wouldn't be able to wait much longer. Lately she had to use the bathroom all the time, even when she didn't drink much.

"I'll try to do something to distract myself," she answered softly, as a deep frown spread across her features. If he had known she would have so many difficulties having a road trip, he would've waited to propose until after their little girl was born. He didn't like to see his girlfriend in such distress.

"I was thinking about finally choosing a name for our baby girl. After all, we can't keep calling her little miracle," he remarked, successfully occupying Elena's thoughts.

"What do you think about Sophie?" she suggested, watching him closely. She'd been thinking about all kinds of names, though she still hadn't found one they both liked.

"Nah, it's too normal. Everyone calls their kid Sophie or Sarah or Lisa or…"

"Yeah, I get it," Elena interrupted him, shaking her head laughing. "You want our girl to have a special name."

"Not necessarily special, just a name that fits her," he explained, keeping his eyes on the road. He wanted their girl to have a beautiful name, one that would emphasize how perfect and special she is.

"Okay, that sounds nice! Do you have any ideas for a name that would fit her?" Elena questioned cautiously, honestly surprised by Damon's answer. It warmed her heart that he wanted their baby to have a name that said something special about their girl. She was glad he wanted to participate in naming her instead of just letting her pick one. He didn't choose an easy way out, instead he cared about their girl and wanted to have a say in her future.

"What do you think of Alliana? It means 'noble', 'kind' and 'gracious'. It has a nice ring to it, no?" he wondered, looking nervously at Elena before concentrating on the road again. This was so not a conversation to have in a car, though it was the only thing he knew for sure that would distract Elena for longer than a few seconds.

"Ally," Elena mused softly, "I like it," she ended, a smile appearing across her lips. "Ally Miranda Salvatore, or would you rather give your mother's name to her?

"Miranda is okay, I know how much you miss your mom. I think we finally found the name," he said excitedly, squeezing his girlfriend's hand in his before pulling into the lane at the gas station. Those three miles seemed to have passed by rather quickly.

"We have," Elena nodded, excitedly, her eyes shining brightly. She looked so proud and happy, all he wanted to do was kiss her and never let her go again. Once he turned off the engine he pulled his girl into his arms and hugged her closely to his chest, and tightly wrapped his arms around her torso.

"I love you," he mumbled into her hair, rubbing her back softly.

"Love you more," she smiled before pecking his lips before pulling back from his hug to open the door.

"That's impossible and you know it!" he shouted after her once she left the car to search for the nearest restroom.

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><p>Three hours later the couple finally arrived at the beach house. They were both tired from the long car ride. If Damon had been nervous before, he was most definitely going crazy right now. He was one hundred percent sure he wanted to marry her, that's not what he was worried about. He was afraid to hear her answer. They were perfectly happy together and he knew she loved him deeply, though they were only together for a few months. What if she thought it was too early?<p>

He would probably die on the inside if she said 'no'. Even after being reassured by Jenna, Caroline, Stefan and Ric… he still felt like he couldn't be sure she would accept his proposal. He'd prepared his little speech over and over again, but still hadn't found the perfect words. According to his best friend, he had to follow his heart instead of his mind, but what the hell did that mean?

"Everything okay, you look a little pale?" Elena asked worriedly, she studied Damon's face as it drained of any color. His usual smart ass behavior and silly remarks disappeared over the past two hours as they were drove towards the cottage. His mind seemed to be elsewhere. She didn't have his full attention as she was talking to him during the second part of their trip. She didn't have any idea where his mind was at.

She was starting to get worried about him, he usually didn't act this way. She was afraid that something might be wrong. Did he suddenly realize he didn't want to be with her? Had his previous fears arisen again? She couldn't help but think the worst. After everything they'd been through, it would surely break her heart to lose him.

"I'm fine, just tired from the trip," he lied to her. Quickly looking away, he didn't want to get caught deceiving her. It wasn't like he could tell her what was going on. He couldn't admit yet that he was simply nervous about proposing. He wanted everything to be special. His proposal would have to wait until they were walking on the beach.

"Oh, okay," she answered softly, clearly not believing a word of what he was saying. She didn't argue or ask any questions, she simply nodded before looking away from him. She was disappointed he couldn't tell her the truth and he knew it, though he hoped everything would be okay once she knew what he'd been keeping from her.

Their relationship was now based on trust and honesty. He hated himself for not being able to explain to her why he was keeping a secret. He hated to disappoint her and couldn't wait to finally erase all her worries.

"You want to take a walk on the beach? I'll just put or suitcases inside and we can go," he proposed, praying she would say yes. He was already taking the bags out of the trunk to put them away.

"I thought you were tired? Don't you want to rest first?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Shit. This was not going like it was supposed to, he thought worriedly.

"Believe me, I still have enough energy to take my beautiful girl_s_ out for a walk," he winked, before stepping closer, softly rubbing her stomach, and grinning like a damn fool as he caressed her baby bump.

"Alright, but I have to pee first. Can you take the suitcases to the bedroom while I use the bathroom? We'll unpack once we're back from our walk," she suggested sweetly and pecked his lips. He hugged her close to his chest and immediately felt her relax, freeing her body from the stress she'd been harboring.

While resting in his embrace, Elena's nerves started to calm. He still loved her. He wasn't having second thoughts. He wouldn't be hugging her like this if he was. All her worries were probably for nothing. Who knows, maybe he just has a surprise for her? She shouldn't doubt their relationship so easily. She was being ridiculous.

Damon nodded before pulling back, quickly grabbing their bags and walking towards the entrance of the cabin. He'd told Caroline and Jenna to decorate just the bedroom and the kitchen. He didn't want the living room decorated because Elena would most likely enter the house before he could take her to the beach. He didn't want to spoil the surprise. He was relieved he'd thought of that or all his plans for the perfect proposal would've been ruined.

After putting their suitcases away, he quickly ran back to the hallway and waited for Elena to be done in the bathroom. A few minutes later he heard the toilet flush. His girl opened the door and stepped into the room. "Ready to go?" he asked her, quickly reaching for her hand and pulling her closer.

"Sure," she mumbled before softly kissing him, her arms wrapping themselves around his neck to pull him close. No matter how many times he kissed her, he would never get tired of the feel of her lips joined with his. He craved her touch, her kisses, just simply her. She meant the world to him.

After they broke apart, they walked hand in hand towards the beach in a comfortable silence. The only sounds were their heartbeats and the noise of the waves crashing down the shore line. It felt remarkably relaxing. Damon felt himself take a deep breath before abruptly stopping in the middle of the beach, much like he did the first time he told her he loved her.

"There's something I've been wanting to ask you," he started off, slightly stammering. His usual overconfident self was nowhere to be found. It was now replaced by an innocent and afraid version of himself. He couldn't help but feel the nervousness that gripped every cell in his body. He felt weak yet completely mesmerized by her presence. His entire future depended on the next few minutes. You might say he was being melodramatic, but his world was teetering on the precipice wondering what her answer would be.

"Okay…," she murmured, not sure what she was supposed to answer. What on earth would make him so utterly uncomfortable and stressed out? She looked up into his eyes and gave him a reassuring smile. Whatever it was that had him so worried, they would work it out.

He took the little box out of his pocket, opening it as he dropped to one knee. "I know we've only been together for a while… Damn, that's sounds way too cliché…Anyway, so it doesn't matter to me what other people might say, but I love you to death Elena. I don't ever want to lose you. I want to be by your side. I want to spend the rest of my days with you. Hell, you're stuck with me, beautiful, whether you like it or not. Do you… Do you want to marry me?" he rambled, his entire prepared speech vanishing from his mind. All his words mixed together. His proposal completely idiotic and stupid and…! Urgh, so not what he was going for. Damn him. He wanted this moment to be perfect and he totally ruined it with this crappy speech.

"Damon…" she whimpered, tears welling up in her eyes. Oh no, this wasn't happening. Shouldn't she be smiling instead of crying? God, he was such an asshole. He made her sad.

"I know it's soon and all of that. We've had our problems in the past, but I love you, Elena. I love you more than life itself. I couldn't bear to spend another day without you by my side. You're IT for me. You're the long lost half of me. I don't feel complete without you, I feel lost and utterly alone. I need you, sweetheart. Nothing would make me more happy than being your husband. You complete me," he said honestly, making her cry all that much harder.

He was seriously doubting his decision to ask her to marry him, when suddenly she jumped into his arms, almost making him fall backward. All those extra pounds and baby bump certainly didn't make it easy for him to keep his balance. She was still heavily sobbing when she brought her lips to his and kissed him passionately, the tears now cascading down both their cheeks.

"Yes! Yes, of course I want to marry you!" she squealed, her arms wrapped firmly around him. He probably would have died in that moment if he didn't want to take her to bed so desperately. Those three letters were what he had been waiting to hear all along. They sounded beautiful coming from her lips.

"You had me a little worried there," he told her smiling as he placed the ring on her finger, a huge grin appearing across his features. Best. Day. Ever.

"Oh god, that's why you were acting so weird? You were nervous! Aww, that's so cute!" Elena went on, pinching his cheeks. A lot of things crossed her mind wondering why Damon was acting so out of character. A proposal was the last thing she'd expected. She didn't think Damon would want to marry her so soon after everything they had been through. After everything she'd put him through. He did though and now she felt like the happiest woman on the face of the earth. Good lord, they were engaged!

"Elena, that's enough," he told her, slapping away her hand. "I don't like being laughed at," he said sternly, failing miserably in his attempt at feigning seriousness. They both started laughing uncontrollably as they danced around the beach, totally oblivious to the world that surrounded them. They were in their perfect little bubble. Nothing could bring them down.

"Well, Ms. Soon to be Salvatore, I'm going to take you to bed now. I'm going to make love to you until you're too tired to even open your eyes," he promised before pulling her into his arms. They quickly ran towards the cabin.

He kept his promise. Sleep didn't come until dawn. They enjoyed the home cooked meal Jenna had prepared while they lounged in their bedroom. They had relaxed in the bathtub as hundreds of rose pedals and heart shaped bath pearls swirled around in the water with them. They spent hours and hours playing with massage oil. Their night together was utterly perfect yet only the beginning of their love story. Their two hearts finding and embracing as they melded together into one.

Everything was unexpected. Their entire journey was one big unexpected surprise. She came to this little town as an unexpected visitor. She'd unexpectedly met a bunch of great people who welcomed her with open arms. She found herself unexpectedly in love and unexpectedly pregnant. There was but one thing that everyone saw as inevitable. Their shared DEstiny.

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><p><strong>Such a cheesy ending, right? I couldn't help myself. I feel so sad this story is almost over. It has been one hell of a ride for me. <strong>

**I want to thank all of you who supported me by reading the story, putting it on your alert list, favoriting it and of course reviewing. I have read all your comments time and time again and feel lucky to have so many amazing people reading my stories. I wouldn't have been able to write this story without you all. **

**Also I want to thank all the beta readers that helped me out, yes ALL of them: Bibi, Jamie, Jaime and Carol. It's crazy with how many of you I worked together but I appreciate all the work you did and will be forever grateful. **

**Last, but not least, I want to thank Mirna for being the craziest and most amazing pre-reader possible! You seriously made my day more than once with all your comments and are a great friend to me. **

**Now, about the story, there's still an epilogue left, though it's not written yet. I want to know which moments in the future you would like to read about. The only condition, they have to include Alliana. For exemple, her first birthday, first date with a guy (and Damon being an overprotective father), her being a bridesmaid on her parents wedding, her sixteenth birthday, ... Be creative and tell me why you would like to read about it and I might include it in the epilogue. **

**I'm not going to give you any spoilers about the epilogue yet, but I can tell you it'll be something special. **

**If you liked the chapter, please show me some love and review! It might help to make me write faster! **

**Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94**

**Xoxo**


	26. Epilogue

**AN: Finally, after all the waiting, here is the final chapter of Unexpected Visitor! Enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine. Don't be a thief.**

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><p><strong>Unexpected Visitor<strong>

**Epilogue**

**Alliana's pov**

I stared at myself in the mirror fully appreciating my sweet sixteen dress. The blue fabric hugged my curves like a second skin. This shade of blue emphasized my ocean blue eyes perfectly. I looked pretty, even if I did say so myself. My parents complimented me often ensuring my self-confidence. They loved me unconditionally and still made me feel like the most special girl in the world.

I realized just how lucky I was to have been born into such an amazing family. My father was overprotective and much too strict for my taste, but he was also my very best friend. He's been my best friend for as long as I could remember. Although he hated the fact that I was growing up, he gave me space to develop my personality and embrace womanhood. He never tried holding me back, instead he was always encouraging me to spread my wings, even though deep down he wished for me to remain his little sweetheart.

My mom, now in her early forties, is still as good looking as she used to be judging by the many pictures that covered the walls of our house. She was fun to hang around with, even if she was my mother. We had a very close bond. I could talk to her about anything. Mom was an expert listener, often giving me good advice. Of course, I didn't always follow it.

Come on! I'm not a dull person. I actually enjoyed revealing my rebellious side from time to time, but I never crossed the line. My parents trusted me and I would not break that special bond. I might be stubborn and perhaps a bit arrogant, but I'm not stupid. I live in freedom and aside from the small tasks my parents ask me to do in the household, I pretty much live like a pampered princess. Maintaining their trust in me was of utmost importance because it meant they would keep providing me with all this amazingness.

I'm sixteen years old for Christ sake, I'm allowed to have some fun and enjoy life. I can't help that I'm the only one at school that has cool parents. My friend Madison is jealous as hell because her parents just aren't that awesome. She wished her dad was a rock star like mine, one that spoiled her rotten and loved her more than anything in the whole world.

I'll admit, being Damon Salvatore's daughter had its advantages. He was in his mid 40's and his good looks were the stuff of legend in and around Mystic Falls. He now owned three restaurants. His cooking skills were beyond compare. Soon word of mouth had people coming far and wide to taste the food in his restaurant. People raved about his prowess in the kitchen and before long he was able to open two more restaurants. I know, I know, my dad rocks. I'm so proud of him. How could my mom not fall in love with him, all the women do! You should see how pea green with envy all the girls at my school are. They all gawk at him with lust filled eyes. Honestly, I just don't get it! Please, he's old! My Dad has been married for nearly ten years, they should be ogling guys their own age.

They're fools if they think they'd ever stand a chance against my mom. My parents, it seems to me, are the perfect couple. They're so in love, it's like watching an old romantic movie playing out in real life. They rarely fight and still make googly eyes at each other. Yuck! Seriously, it's disgusting! You like watching your parents make out on the couch while you're watching TV? Ugh vomit!

It's unbelievable and probably not even healthy the way they still act like lovesick teenagers around each other. Only a few weeks ago I caught them sneaking away from a family party to run off into the backyard. I didn't follow them. Honestly, seeing them making out is bad enough. I don't want to actually walk in on them when they're doing that!

I still remember the horrified look on my brother's face when he came running downstairs, screaming, after he caught my parents showering together. We grew up in the boarding house. The mansion is actually split in two now. Uncle Stefan and aunt Caroline live in one part and our family lives in the other. There are two bathrooms in our wing. My sister and I share one while the other one is shared by our parents and my two brothers. We're lucky! We don't have to share our space with mom and dad.

I wasn't even one year old when my brother Vince was born. He was a little accident too, just like me. You'd think Mom and Dad would've gotten a clue after one oops! According to Aunt Caroline, my parents were planning their wedding when mom discovered she was pregnant again! After that, they decided to wait to get married until they stopped making more babies. My mom desperately wanted her daughters to be bridesmaids, eventually that wish came true.

Seriously, those pictures are definitely my favorites. I looked adorable in my pink little dress with my long dark curls cascading over my shoulders. Even as a kid, I got compliments on how beautiful I was. It's these amazing genes I was clearly blessed with.

"_Auntie Caroline, you are hurting me!" I exclaimed while my aunt was brushing my hair. I was getting mad and it was boring having to sit still in this stupid chair. I was pouting but auntie had to make sure I looked pretty in my pink dress. When she finished, I was sure that I was the most beautiful bridesmaid of the WHOLE world. _

_She first used this very hot stick to make my hair all curly. It was called a 'curling iron' or something like that. I don't remember for sure because I really wasn't paying much attention to her ramblings. My mommy insisted that she let me watch the Disney Channel while she worked her magic on me. Mommy convinced auntie Caroline that it would be much easier if I could watch cartoons while she made me all pretty._

_I don't know why she would say that! According to auntie Caroline, playing with Barbie dolls wasn't a good idea when someone is pulling your hair. I was really getting mad, she kept hurting me! _

"_Sit still, baby girl. I'm almost done," I heard my aunt say. I was already plotting my escape route. With all the power I could muster, I jumped up and ran across the room to hightail it out of there as soon as possible. She could do my baby sister's hair now, mine looked beautiful enough. _

"_Alliana Miranda Salvatore! I wasn't finished!" auntie Caroline screamed using her high pitched voice. Honestly, my head hurts enough from her tugging on my hair without having to listen to her yelling too. My daddy always says she's an annoying blonde 'bimo' or something like that._

"_Give it up, Caroline. She already sat still for almost ten minutes, you should be grateful. She usually runs away when I start brushing her hair too. She's as impatient as her father," I heard my mommy say to auntie Caroline. They always talk to each other like I'm not even in the room. I'm already a whole five years old! Sometimes they insist on treating me like a baby even though I'm the big sister!_

"_Elena, seriously, I don't understand how you can stay so calm. It's your wedding day for God's sake. None of your children are ready. Ally keeps running around and ruining her hair, Vince has a puncture in his pants from playing football outside and the twins still need to have a bath. I need to start dressing them!" auntie Caroline yelled. Man, I actually had to put my hands over my hurting ears._

"_Don't worry about it, Caroline. They will look beautiful, no matter what they wear. Vince is the spitting image of his father, how could he ever look bad? The twins are only six months old, everyone thinks babies are cute and Ally, well, she's Ally. The entire town knows she has entirely too much energy for her own good."_

_While mommy was talking to my aunt, I tried to find a way to sneak out of the room without them noticing. Today my mommy and daddy are getting married. I don't really know what that means. Auntie Caroline said it's only for people who love each very much. People who marry want to stay together forever she stated. I thought my mommy and daddy already loved each other, very, very much. But, I guess it doesn't really matter if they 'marry' so long as they do stay together forever and ever. I asked auntie Caroline if they would 'divose' if they didn't marry, like my friend Madison's parents did. She assured me that my parents had a love that "consumed them" whatever that means!_

_Her parents each live in a different house. Madison has to live with her mommy one week and the next she has to live with her daddy. I think it's weird. Why would your parents not live in the same house? Auntie Caroline said if two people don't love each other anymore they can live in separate houses if they want. I hope my parents never 'divose'. I wouldn't like it at all if my mommy and daddy didn't love each other or if they didn't live together._

_When I finally got away, I found a few of my mommy's friends standing over the crib of my baby brother and sister. I didn't like the way they kept talking to those little babies. I was a whole five years old, they all used to play with me. They only play with the twins now and I wasn't at all happy about that._

_I ran towards one of the women that was wearing a blue skirt and pulled at it, but she wouldn't even look at me. They were too busy playing with the babies. Everyone seemed to be more interested in my baby brother and sister, it wasn't fair! _

_Deciding I needed some attention, I searched for one of my brother's footballs and started to throw it around the room. One hit the lady in the blue skirt. I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. Her face turned red and she started yelling at me. She gave me a scary look then ran after me. I didn't like it when people looked at me with creepy faces. Tears started to pool in my eyes as I tried to run away from the lady. I was sobbing softly when my daddy suddenly showed up and pulled me in his arms. _

_He held me protectively and I rested my face in the crook of his neck. I was now safely cloaked in the security of his arms. My daddy always came to my rescue when something bad happened. "Ally, why did you throw a ball at Ms. Carol's face?" he questioned while I wrapped my arms firmly around him. I looked down, not liking it when he was sad because of something I did wrong. _

"_Will you say sorry?" he added, putting a finger under my chin so I had to look up into his blue eyes that mirrored mine. I nodded and pouted a little, knowing my daddy would start smiling if I put on my angel face. _

_It worked. He laughed before putting me down again. Daddy nudged me towards the woman in the blue skirt. She still looked mad, but her red cheeks had cooled down a little. "Sorry," I mumbled before running away again. I didn't like her. She was a 'bich' or whatever the word was my daddy used when he met an annoying person_

I could still remember how boring the ceremony was, I had to stand still the entire time. It was torture to a little kid. If memory serves, Auntie Caroline had to come and find me at least three times when I decided to disappear. I was a handful as a child because I always wanted to be the center of attention. I got jealous when people played with or fawned over my brothers and sister.

My brother Vince and I always conspired against the twins. They were the youngest. Much to our dismay, they got entirely too much attention. We'd always hear things like, "look how cute the twins are or aren't they precious." It was just too much. Vince is second only to my dad in the best friend department. We've been tight our whole lives. We look so much alike. Both of us inherited Dad's raven black hair and piercing blue eyes. Mom says we're both the spitting image of Daddy.

Jada and Aaden are four years younger than me. Both have my mom's chocolate brown hair and toffee colored eyes. They're inseparable and they just love teasing me. I'm the oldest kid in the family. It was me who told my Dad that we were going to have another addition to our family. When my mom was positive she was having another baby, she'd handed me the pregnancy test, telling me to go give it to my father. His knees wobbled a little when I told him I was going to have another baby brother or sister. Dad says we won the lottery getting one of each.

From what I remembered, he had been ecstatic, wobbly knees and all. Dad loved his children immeasurably and wanted to have a big family. We went on lots of family trips together. Gosh, I really hated sharing my parents attention when I was little. Sometimes, I think I still do. I've always felt special being my daddy's little princess.

"Ally! Are you almost done? Your aunt Jenna, uncle Ric and Stephanie have arrived!" my mom screamed from downstairs. Today was my sixteenth birthday party. I would have to sit through a family dinner with aunt Jenna, aunt Caroline, uncle Ric, uncle Stefan and my cousin Stephanie before we could leave for the real party.

Stephanie and I had planned the most outstanding beach party ever. The party will be at the little cabin my parents used to go to. All of our friends will be coming. It was the party of the year. Dad made arrangements for a bus to transport us ensuring our safe arrival at the cabin's location. I was queen bee at school as well as the most popular cheerleader on the squad. Skipping school wasn't an option, I wasn't stupid, my grades were always excellent.

I wanted to go to college to become a lawyer. Everyone always told me I was entirely too noisy for my own good. Debating was something I became really good at, I was a pitbull when provoked. Dad says my stubborn gene, inherited from mom he insisted, was the reason I had yet to lose a battle. I suspect I'll be able to finish school without too many issues popping up. Stephanie was the only one of my friends that I ever confided in regarding my career aspirations.

I knew if I told Madison, she'd just blab all my secrets to the rest of the school. She was a nice person and I loved hanging out with her, but she just doesn't know how to shut it. My boyfriend was the typical jock and mister popular at school. Everyone thought we were the dream couple. Although I doubted that was true.

My mom always told me she felt this certain spark whenever she kissed my dad, stating it was like her entire world was lightened and turned upside down. I didn't feel any of that when I was around Chase. He's a good looking guy… okay, hot as hell, and he knew it! I loved him. Lately though, I'd been having lingering thoughts as to whether I really was in love with him or whether it was his friendship that I loved more.

That reminds me of the first time I went out with Chase, my dad was freaking out. Vince had been on his first date only a few weeks before me. My father had been really happy to see his boy growing up. When I told him I wanted to go to the movies with my boyfriend, he went ballistic! He had no idea I actually had a boyfriend. Dad almost went postal, threatening to castrate Chase if he harmed me in any way. Talk about being melodramatic! His overprotectiveness was really kind of cute at times. I've always loved being daddy's girl!

"_Dad, I've been wanting to ask you something," I said cautiously, knowing my father would probably blow a gasket when he heard my question. In his eyes I was still his little girl, not the teenager standing before him hesitant to ask him my question. _

"_What's wrong, princess?" he questioned sighing, knowing from my tone it wasn't something he was going to be happy about. He knew me too damn well! Sometimes he could read me like a laid open book. It was really annoying at times how well he knew me!_

"_I would like to go to the movies with my boyfriend tonight," I choked out, my eyes focused on the floor. I didn't dare to look up, afraid to see the anger reflected in my father's eyes. I knew he wouldn't like me going out with a guy, certainly not one I referred to as a boyfriend. _

"_What?" he yelled, shaking his head furiously. "Boyfriend? Since when do you have a boyfriend!" He was screaming so loudly that I was certain the entire neighborhood could hear him. I prayed my mom would come to my rescue and talk to him. _

"_Honey, she's fifteen years old, I'm sure you did a whole of a lot more at her age," my mom interrupted just as I had hoped. She always knew how to calm my dad when he was acting stupidly. He was overprotective enough as it was, I didn't want him to forbid me from going out with my boyfriend. Chase and I had been dating for a few weeks now, this would be our first real date as a couple. _

_We'd hung out at his place a few times, though my parents didn't know. I always told them I was hanging out at Madison's place. In reality, I spent this time with Chase. It hadn't taken long before my mom started to notice a change in my behavior and asked me if I was crushing on someone. Eventually I decided to tell her the truth, knowing she wouldn't tell my dad if I didn't want her to. _

"_It doesn't matter what I did when I was her age, Elena. That boy is going to take advantage of her, mark my words!" dad exclaimed. _

_He rarely called my mom by her first name. The only time he didn't say sweet things to her was when he was really mad._

"_Damon, be realistic. You have never met Chase, how can you be so sure he's going to take advantage of our daughter?" mom questioned, placing her hands on her hips and staring at my father intently. I immediately noticed the moment he gave in and let out a frustrated sigh. _

"_So Chase, huh?" he asked, turning around to face me. "Please tell me he's not some popular jock that's going to do everything in his power to get you into his bed," he added, his sad eyes staring into mine. I wanted to tell him I wasn't stupid enough to sleep with the first guy that was interested in me, but I knew I couldn't. Chase and I already started fooling around a little. Our kisses seemed to raise the temperature in the room and his caresses, oh my!_

_I really wanted to reassure my dad that my innocence would stay intact until marriage, but who was I kidding? I planned to wait a little while longer but I didn't know how long I'd be able to say no. Giving up my virginity was a very big deal but I didn't know how much longer I could hold out. _

"_He's a decent guy, dad. He treats me like a princess," I told him instead. It wasn't a lie. Chase was a real gentleman and did treat me very well. He had a few irritating traits, but who doesn't?_

_My father let out another sigh and shook his head. "I suppose I can't stop you from going on a date, but please, be careful will you? I don't want to see you getting hurt, least of all by some horny teenager."_

"_Dad!" I exclaimed, giving him my best 'What the hell' look. He could be so blunt sometimes. _

"_It's true, sweetie. Guys your age are interested in nothing but sex," he went on, making my face turn bright red. "I was that guy once, I know!" Was he seriously going to have THE talk with me? He probably forgot that my mom already talked to me about the same subject, years ago!_

"_That's your father's way of telling you he was a real man whore during his teen years," my mom quipped, making me grin while my father's face turned pale. He flashed my mother a dirty look before continuing his speech. _

"_Ignore your mother, she thinks she's being funny," he stated seriously and I smiled at my mom. "If that boy ever tries anything, you'll tell me right? I'll chop his balls off and make sure he can't ever touch another girl!" "Don't doubt me!"_

_That won't be necessary, but I appreciate the your concern, daddy." I smirked, rolling my eyes. He was a great dad, but sometimes he could exaggerate a whole lot. _

Before Chase could take me to the movies, he'd first had to go through my father and listen to his scary threats. I'd been afraid he'd scare Chase off so he wouldn't dare take me on a date. He turned out to be tougher than I thought, simply listening to my father and promising him he'd take good care of me.

He'd kept his promise that night and we had a wonderful date. We walked hand in hand, shared a popcorn bowl and kissed in the back of the cinema. It was utterly perfect and from that night forward we had been inseparable. Although that changed a few weeks ago, I don't know why, but I have this feeling we're growing apart. We're no longer that happy in love couple. I just hope my sixteenth birthday party tonight will change that.

"There you are," my mom sighed, when I finally came downstairs. I twirled around to show off my dress and she laughed, telling me I looked pretty. She was beaming with pride as she pulled me into a hug. I quickly hugged her back before pulling away, you can't blame a sixteen year old for not wanting to embrace her mother like a little girl would.

"You're getting so big," she told me, her eyes slightly teary.

"Mom!" I exclaimed, shaking my head. "Don't be silly and stop crying!" I loved her to death, but sometimes my mother could be pretty annoying. I hated it when she started her waterworks. I didn't understand the need for tears when she was proud of me. Why would being proud of me always make her start weeping? Parents!

"You look beautiful, princess," my dad told me when he walked into the hallway looking for his girls. Apparently our guests were getting anxious to see me in my sweet sixteen dress. When I walked into the kitchen, Stephanie immediately jumped up from her chair and threw her arms around me. She praised my look, giving me high fives, telling me that Chase was going to melt into a puddle when he laid eyes on me.

My father quickly cleared his throat to remind me he was there. Not wanting to hear about my escapades with boys, he was already fuming because he knew Chase would join the beach party. It was inevitable, of course, he would've been so much happier if Chase had decided to sit this one out. Dad didn't want me anywhere near a cabin full of bedrooms with guys thrown in the mix.

"You look breathtaking, Ally. The dress is beautiful, it reminds me a lot of your first day of school," aunt Jenna remarked, recalling old memories.

"_Mommy, why are you crying?" I questioned confused when my parents dropped me off at school. I didn't like it when my mommy was feeling sad. It was my first day at school and I couldn't wait to see all the new toys. Daddy had told me they even had a sandpit in the playground! How cool is that?_

"_Mommy is just feeling very proud because her little girl is starting school," my daddy told me before picking me up and hugging me close to his chest. I gave him a wet kiss on his cheek and started giggling, making mommy laugh as well._

"_You're adorable," she whispered softly before putting her arms around daddy and me. I couldn't help but smile. My brothers and sister were still at home while I was big enough to go to school and my parents were very happy. I had their attention all to myself._

_Usually I had to share their attention with my other siblings, but today was all about me. Mommy had helped me prepare my school bag while daddy baked us all pancakes. Chocolate chips pancakes were my favorite!_

"_School's about to start," daddy said, before pointing at a blonde lady in a yellow dress. "That's Sophie, she'll be your teacher," he added, giving me one last kiss before putting me down. _

"_Bye mommy, bye daddy!" I yelled, before making a little jump and running towards Sophie. Some little babies around me were crying and I looked at them in disgust. Why where they crying? How stupid! We were finally old enough to go to school! I didn't get the tears._

"_I love you, baby!" I heard my mother scream at top of her lungs, her eyes were still teary and I wanted to go over and give her a hug. Mommy always told me that hugs make the tears go away and make you feel happy._

"_Love you too, mommy!" I yelled back, waving at my parents before walking through the school gate. Today was my first day as a big girl. I couldn't wait to go home and tell my mommy all about the things I did. _

"Happy birthday, Alliana," Stefan told me, once aunt Jenna finally pulled back from our hug. He was my godfather and spoiled me rotten, just like my dad did. Caroline and he hadn't had much luck trying to have children, so they just spoiled the four of us instead. They were great. We all loved living with them. Every time my dad was being ridiculous, I'd go over to their part of the house and hang out with my uncle.

"Thanks, buddy!" I told him before doing our move. My dad gave me a weird look and I just rolled my eyes. He didn't get my special bond with uncle Stefan and our crazy friendship.

"I have a surprise coming up, my lady," he told me smiling, before signaling aunt Caroline to come closer and show me my gift.

When she pulled a pair of car keys out of her pocket, I gave them a confused look. "Go look outside," uncle Stefan winked before throwing me the keys. I ran as fast as I could and let out a shriek when I saw a crimson red mini cooper parked in our drive lane.

"Oh my gosh, you are the best!" I gushed, jumping up and down before walking closer to my new car.

"Stefan, what the hell? You bought her a fucking car!" I heard my dad scream. He was clearly unhappy about the fact that my uncle bought me such a great present. "She doesn't even have her license!"

"Calm down, will you?" my uncle stated with annoyance. "She kept telling me how much she liked red Mini Coopers so I thought I'd buy her one. I'll even teach her how to drive," he suggested as my dad's face grew even redder. He was almost as red as a tomato now.

"You've done more than enough already, if anyone teaches her how to drive safely, it'll be me. Are you crazy or something? Are you going to buy me a car if I ask for a fucking Ferrari?" dad exclaimed. I hadn't thought he'd make such a big deal out of it. I guess he doesn't like the thought of me driving a car, but still, he was being overly dramatic as usual.

"Damon," I heard my mom whisper, she gave him a worried glance and he rolled his eyes at her. I hated when they fought about something that included me, certainly not when I was in the same room.

"Elena, you can't possible think it's a good idea for Ally to drive a freaking car!" he stated angrily, throwing his hands up in the air.

"I didn't say it was a smart move for Stefan to buy her a fancy car before she even has her license, but she's sixteen now. You should teach her how to drive. She has to learn to be responsible and by teaching her how to drive, she'll be more independent," my mom carefully explained, eyeing my dad closely.

"I agree with Elena on this one," Ric said, nodding at my mom. I snorted at them, were they seriously discussing whether or not it was a good idea for me to learn how to drive? It was my freaking birthday, they should be partying instead of fighting.

After checking out my new baby, I walked back inside, annoyed as hell with my father's behavior. Couldn't he for once trust me and support me instead of acting like I was still a toddler? Earlier when I was getting dressed, I kept thinking about how amazing he was, but I was seriously reconsidering my previous opinion.

"Ally, can I talk to you for a sec?" I heard my dad ask when I stepped inside. I nodded before following him to the living room. Everyone went back to the kitchen. He pointed at me to sit down on the couch. I complied, knowing it wasn't a good idea to argue with him at this moment.

"I don't want you to feel like I don't trust you, princess. I simply don't want anything to happen to you, you understand that, right? Driving a car is a huge responsibility. It's not something to take lightly," he told me, while sitting down on the couch across from me.

I looked him in the eye and shook my head, "Dad, can't you for once be supportive of me instead of always worrying about what might happen? I know you're trying to be a good father, but you're pushing me away! You fuss over me way too much sometimes," I answered, avoiding his gaze.

"Yes, I'm overprotective, that's my job!" he laughed. "Baby girl, I simply couldn't bear it if anything were to happen to you. You're my little angel, you know that right? Without you, me and your mother would still be trying to figure out whether or not we wanted a life together."

"Can't we just forget this happened and go back to the party? I'd really like to enjoy my evening. I don't want to fight on my birthday." I whispered softly, looking down at my feet. I felt bad for lashing out on him, but I simply couldn't stand anymore of his possessive nature today.

When he nodded, I stood up and walked over to him, sitting down on his lap. I pulled him into a big bear hug. It had been years since the last time I'd done this, but it felt right to be in my daddy's arms. I couldn't deny that it felt good to remember how it felt to be his little girl again as I snuggled into his chest. He chuckled and quickly responded by kissing my temple like he used to do when he tucked me into bed at night.

"I love you, dad," I whispered, secretly cringing for saying those words out loud. Darn, I should've kept my mouth shut! I didn't openly talk about my feelings very often.

"I love you too, princess," he told me before we both stood up and rejoined the party. The rest of the evening went by without any more trouble. After the dinner party, I was able to hop onto the bus and go to the beach house with my friends. I waved at my parents before sitting down next to Sophie in the crowded vehicle. Woo hoo, it was going to be one hell of a night!

* * *

><p><strong>Tada! We have reached the end of one of my favorite stories to write. It has been one hell of a ride and I want to thank every single one of you that has supported me. Your reviews fueled my muse and kept me excited to keep writing. I wouldn't have been able to write this story without all you amazing people. There are two people, I simply have to thank personally, my wonderful beta Carol and pre-reader Mirna. Thank you for all the hard work. <strong>

**I hope you all enjoyed the epilogue. I took a risk, I've never written a single chapter in the first person, but I just felt like writing Ally's POV. I wanted to show you how their life looks like, sixteen years after the former chapter. **

**This is your last chance! Please let me know what you thought of the story. I know many of you follow this story without leaving me a single comment and I don't blame you, but reviews do make me very happy! **

**If you are going to miss my writing, do check out my newest story 'Starcrossed Lovers'. I promise you it'll be worth your while. **

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